


Testing the Limits

by manateehugger



Series: Ivan's daughter [2]
Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-04
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2018-01-14 06:51:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 39,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1256869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manateehugger/pseuds/manateehugger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set immediately after the events of "A favor for a former lover" Ivan talks to Hailey about her mother and helps her navigate Barrayaran politics</p><p>XinAn should be translated as "New Peace"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: discussions of suicide

Ivan had been very tense yesterday, Hailey decided. She supposed that starting his birthday off by remembering his dead father would be a trying experience. But the tension hadn’t dissipated after that. The rest of the day was spent with the adults giving her furtive glances as if they were expecting something awful from her. She had given Ivan a present. It was a family portrait with Ivan, Lady Alys, Simon and Hailey all done in water colors. Ivan seemed to like it, Simon had looked touched and Lady Alys who had seen the rough drafts had nodded in approval. So had the other guests at Ivan’s party later on. Ivan and Hailey had stayed over at Lady Alys flat last night since Ivan had indulged himself too much and Lady Alys had insisted.

Today, Hailey was sitting on the couch with Simon watching the news, they had just had breakfast and Ivan and his mother were in the kitchen. They still seemed tense and Hailey didn’t know why. Even as Simon sat next to her, ostensibly doing nothing, he seemed to hold himself at attention. It was different from the way he held himself when he was relaxed; at least as relaxed as a former chief of Imperial Security could be. It was starting to get to her. If they were angry about something she wished they would just scold her already. Unless it was more than that. Perhaps the trials of being a single father were too much for Ivan. Perhaps Chel had been right and they were getting bored of her, Hailey thought. Perhaps they were working up to sending her away. She told herself not to care, she had only been with them a short time. Not enough for her to set down roots of any kind, she decided. Moving should still be easy enough.

“Are you alright,” Simon asked her quietly.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be,” Hailey said trying to keep her voice level. She did not look over at him.

Ivan and his mother finally emerged and came around to stand in front of her.

“I’m going to turn this off dear, we need to talk,” Lady Alys stated picking up the remote and turning off the program. She and Ivan pulled up seats in front of Hailey and Simon.  
They exchanged looks. Perhaps they’re sending me back to live with my mother after all, Hailey thought.

“Hailey, I – we want you to know that we love you very much and if you need anything we will be right here to help you,” Lady Alys stated. She took a breath and continued, “We recently received word that your mother died,” Lady Alys stated.

That had not been the news Hailey was expecting.

“How –why did they? Could it be a mistake? How did it happen,” Hailey asked, a thousand paradoxical thoughts flashing through her head at once. Was her mother even dead or had she faked it for some reason? Who would have killed her mother, she wondered next. Had it been a political assassination or one of her previous jilted lovers? Or was it just some random psychopath?

“No it was confirmed to be her through a DNA SNP scan. She um, well she killed herself,” Ivan admitted.

“I did this,” Hailey said. The words tumbled out of her before she realized she’d said them. She was standing now, she couldn't sit. There was too much adrenaline coursing through her for her to be able to sit and talk about this. She needed to get out of here, to run.

Eyebrows went up. They didn't understand her comment.

“No! Of course you didn’t,” Ivan insisted, reflexively moving to hug her. Hailey pushed him away.

“No, I did. She used to do that. They didn’t tend to be very deep, but sometimes it would get away from her and we would have to -,” Hailey was pacing now. She continued, “I wanted to say something after her disastrous interview with the emperor. But she didn’t like to talk about it and I knew that being placed on a psychiatric ward would be worse than death for her but… I’m so careless! Why did I let this happen?”

What was wrong with her that she hadn’t stopped it, Hailey wondered about herself.

“Hailey this really wasn’t your fault,” Lady Alys said glancing at Ivan, “Chel killed herself because she was being brought back to Barrayar for crimes against the Imperium. Tapes of her previous criminal activities have already been released to her Amnesty Chapter in Eba quadrant; though undoubtedly the organization will not show it to anyone in light of her death.”

“What crimes? You said she wasn’t going to be charged with anything as long as she didn’t come back,” Hailey said looking to Ivan.

“I didn’t want to say anything. But when Kevin said he had arrived on Barrayar at the invitation of your mother he wasn’t lying. She admitted to trying to kill me through him while under fast penta,” Ivan said.

So Chel had tried to kill Ivan with a half-baked plan that had almost gotten Hailey and By killed instead. Chel did that too sometimes, she would get angry and lash out. It wasn’t always pre-meditated, it just happened and Chel might come back later and apologize, in her own way. The remorse was there anyway, Hailey thought.

Hailey stared back at the three of them. So Ivan and his mother had been talking about this in the kitchen earlier, deciding how much to tell Hailey about what had happened to her mother. But they weren’t done yet, Hailey decided. They were still holding something back. Illyan didn’t show it, master spy that he was, and even Lady Alys hid it well enough. But Ivan still looked guilty.

Do you really want to know what else Chel did to put that look on Ivan’s face?

No.

“Oh,” Hailey said nodding slightly, “right.”

She knew they wouldn’t let her walk out of the apartment like this. Chel would have delivered the knife wound and then at least left Hailey alone to suffer through it without an audience. Ivan and his family insisted on standing over her and trying to forcibly nurse her back to health after the wound had been inflicted. It was too bizarre to deal with now. She walked back into the room she’d slept in the night before and closed the door before crawling under the bed. It seemed the best choice available.

  
Sometime later Ivan knocked loudly on the door and then allowed himself in when she didn’t answer.

“Hailey,” he called, uncertainly walking into the room. She watched his booted feet walk around the room then into the little adjoining bathroom. Then he came back out. He checked the closet before finally kneeling down and peering under the bed.

“You know, I don’t think you should be lying under there. Monsters tend to hide out under the beds of children and gobble them up in the night,” Ivan said.

“Monsters are fictional Ivan. I stopped looking for them under the bed when I realized the real monsters were inside of us the whole time,” Hailey replied.

“I dunno about that, m’mother used to have to leave a night light on for me because I was scared of Babayka. One too many horror vids with Miles I guess,” Ivan offered genially.

Ivan still had a night light in his room, Hailey thought but didn’t point out. That was for more real fears or painful memories as Hailey understood it. Hailey buried her face in her arms, “go away Ivan.”

“You’re not going to hide under there all day are you,” Ivan asked, concerned.

“It was part of my plan, yes,” Hailey admitted.

Ivan frowned, “you know if you keep this up I might have to join you under there. Which would be bad because I don’t respond well to dark cramped spaces. Maybe you should come out instead.”

“I just want to be alone. Why are you doing this,” She demanded.

“Well I can’t very well answer that question while you’re hiding under the bed now can I,” Ivan asked reasonably, “it’s undignified.”

“It is not undignified, this is how I mourn, ok? Just leave me to it,” Hailey stated.

Ivan looked ready to argue but then stopped, his face softened, “well… well I’ll be just outside this door if you need me. But… don’t hurt yourself, ok? It’s not your fault. And if you do I’ll get Miles to come over.”

“That’s not fair,” Hailey complained. Not that she had a reason to she supposed. Still bringing Miles into any situation always led to trouble.

“No, not really,” Ivan agreed getting back up, “but that doesn’t mean I won’t do it. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”


	2. Standing on the ledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares and dark thoughts occupy Hailey's mind

Hailey was walking through an abandoned house. She’d tried climbing up to find a way out but the entire mansion seemed buried underground, far from the sun. Floors creaked and she swore she could see the killer in her periphery but each and every time she looked she found nothing. It was just her and this thing in the house. Finally she heard something, the sound of heels along the wooden floors of the house. Hailey turned to see the red-headed woman heading towards her, except she wasn’t walking but shuffling on hands and bare feet. The sound of heels had been an illusion. The red hair obscured the woman’s face but Hailey was focused more on the woman’s hands. Hailey could make out the unnaturally long fingers with sharpened nails at the end of the woman’s hands. There was something wrong with the hands, as if the metacarpal muscles had been completely cut and the fingers tapered off at the wrist rather than the palm of the hand. Blood dripped from the fingernails as the woman moved towards Hailey, it left a trail as the killer headed towards the girl. Hailey believed that the blood came not only from the woman’s previous victims but also from her own sliced open arms. The woman as she drew within a few feet of the girl, finally stood up to her full height. This killer then shot out her arm in a fast motion that Hailey didn’t even block; the killer’s arm surged forward and buried itself in Hailey’s chest. It went straight through to the heart.

Hailey sat up in her bed in Vorbara Sultana and touched her chest. The pain had felt real enough. She got up and walked over to her desk where her sketchpad lay and started drawing. She drew all of her monsters. She didn’t used to. But these monsters, these killers wouldn’t stay silent. She found she couldn’t sleep anymore without knowing them. She had recently decided to no longer ignore their existence. She catalogued them with notes about their locations, their temperament, and what had led to them to this hunt. They weren’t mindless killing machines. Every single one of them had a story.

 

It was late on another night and Ivan had been forced to stay at work for one crisis or another. They didn’t trust Hailey to be by herself anymore so Ivan had left her in the care of her grandparents for the evening. Hailey had gotten up from another of her nightmares. Another killer in another backdrop; it was an abandoned factory this time. On a whim she had walked back to the sliding door in the Vorpatril’s sitting room. The one that she had sat near the first night she and Chel had visited this home. Hailey found the door to be neither locked nor very difficult to open. Although the cold, windy air that blasted her when she stepped out was a surprise. She headed over to the far end of it and stared down. The barrier preventing her from falling was chest high on her, but not a major obstacle if she were serious.

How odd it was to stand out here now. Before she had thought it would be too hard, that there were too many obstacles. There were thoughts that she wasn't strong enough to do it; that someone would come along to stop her. She knew now how foolish those thoughts had been. If you want something badly enough, there's always a way to get it, she decided. 

After a suicide it was known that others might follow suit. There were a number of factors thought to play a role in this phenomenon. But one was the idea that in knowing someone who killed herself there was a realization that if she could do it anyone could do it. I could do it. As simple as that: if she could do it, I can do it too. There was a certain freedom in that.

Chel had spoken harshly to Ivan that first night telling him that everything he did was his fault and if he didn’t like it he could kill himself. Chel had meant it as a comment of censure rather than as a lesson in free will. But the line she spoke was paraphrased from an early earth Existentialist Jean Paul Sartre who had stated a very similar idea. That the individual was in control of her own destiny, that she was free to act as she wished. But in this freedom she was burdened with responsibility. If the individual was truly free then she had no one to blame for her actions when things ended badly. Sartre hard argued that life was meaningless, that suicide was the individual’s final great chance to fight against this, to attempt to establish meaning. Hailey supposed this wasn’t different from other views of suicide, that it was an act caused by the individual being unable to integrate into the world. It was the culmination of the idea that there was nothing more or better out there and so no reason to continue this drudgery of living. Which in the end, with her crimes revealed and nowhere to go but prison, had been true for Chel.

It wouldn’t be hard to climb over the side, Hailey thought, and the fall would certainly be enough to prevent cryo-revival. But is it true? Is this where you want to be, she wondered. She was out here all alone with no one to stop her. I am free, she thought. Free to climb up and fall, to figure out if there was something after all of this or free to turn around and walk back into her grand parents house and go back to bed.

She stared down at the cars moving along the streets far down below. She might ruin someone’s night if she fell on their car. But it was late enough that there seemed to be few pedestrians out. She wouldn’t have to worry about landing on someone and hurting them. If I did it I would hope that everyone could go back to their happy lives afterwards. I would do it so as only to end myself. I wouldn’t want to destroy anyone else in the act and aftermath, Hailey thought.

So what do you want?

Of course other philosophers had argued that suicide was only an illusory freedom; that suicide was actually the individual attempting to abdicate freedom in favor of a false safety net. To these philosophers, death was chosen by the individual out of fear.

It made her think of an old saying she had heard. It was about fear. Fear as the mind killer, fear itself as the cause of complete obliteration and annihilation. Only in facing one's fears could she live.

Except Hailey faced her fears, every single night; and every single night they tore her to pieces. Will this go on forever, she wondered wearily. 

She didn't know.

She suspected that she would never dream again if she let herself fall off the edge. She could stop it right now with only a little effort. 

Or she could listen to Lady Alys when the older woman promised that things would get better.  

Perhaps there was nothing better for you Chel. You made the only decision you thought possible. I can’t blame you for that, knowing only some of what you’ve been through. I admit I’ve never fully understood you, Hailey silently told her mother. But I think, I think for now I still have better options.

Hailey turned around and only then noticed Simon Illyan standing just inside the door. He was leaning against the wall, arms folded and watching her curiously. He opened the door to allow her to step back inside.

“It’s rather cold out tonight, won’t you come back inside,” he asked calmly.

Hailey paused then, taken aback. Illyan stepped out in his slippers and ship knits and moved over past her to look down over the ledge himself.

“I can see you have a fairly clear view of the city just now, though the light pollution still prevents any chance to stargaze. But your lady grandmother would have stern words with you for coming out here barefoot and under-dressed,” Illyan noted looking back at her.

“I’m sorry,” Hailey managed. She had thought she was alone. She hadn’t realized there had been an audience. How long were you there?

Illyan gazed down at her then very gently reached over and ran a thumb down her cheek.

“I do not know what your mother thought when she acted as she did. But I know that you are dear to this family. I could not imagine what would become of us if anything happened to you. I hope you know you are not alone here,” Illyan said.

Tears stung Hailey’s eyes and she broke down. She didn’t fight him when Illyan hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

“I’m glad you turned around,” Illyan murmured.


	3. A Vor sweet sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hailey and the family are invited to a classmate's birthday party.
> 
> Warning: Attempted rape

It was two weeks later and Hailey was sitting in the home of Count Vorluften. He had thrown a birthday party for his youngest daughter, Rachel. Hailey was still unsure if she had been invited because Rachel actually liked her or if it was because Rachel’s father was interested in the possible social connections of inviting the Vorpatrils over. The invitation which Hailey had received had been for her as well as her family. Lady Alys had of course accepted the invitation on behalf of Hailey. So Ivan, Simon and Lady Alys were here with Hailey tonight.

While no one had said it the reason for this enforced partying was undoubtedly due to Hailey’s mourning process. Hailey understood that Lady Alys was angry with Chel, that there was still more to the story than anyone had told Hailey, and that Lady Alys was impatient for Hailey to finish the grieving process. Hailey supposed that Lady Alys had a right to be angry at a woman who had tried to murder her son. She had heard Lady Alys complain that there was no reason for Hailey to mourn a woman who had ‘abandoned her’. Though Lady Alys had at least been polite enough not to purposely say these things in Hailey’s hearing range.

“Oh, Hailey you look so sad, are you still thinking of your mama,” Julianna Vortugalov asked sympathetically.

The bright eyed girl in her soft pink party dress sat down next to Hailey who was wearing a moss green jacket with a black armband. Her only hint at her mother’s recent death. Well, relatively recent, it happened more than a month ago at this point, Hailey thought.

Hailey shrugged, “I was just thinking how long it would take before we have our first case of alcohol poisoning for the night.”

The party had been split up into the “children’s side” where Rachel and the other teens were and the “adult side” where the parents were holding their own soiree. The only adults on this side now were some discreet armsmen who were present to make sure no one killed themselves trying to slide down the banister. They would probably have to tuck Rachel into bed soon, Hailey thought watching the young woman try to match drinks with some of the boys who were twice her size.

Julianna giggled, “you’re so silly. Do they not usually have parties with alcohol where you used to live? I thought this was normal for teenagers.”

In certain cultures becoming an adult might mean quitting school and working full time to help support younger siblings or the family. It might mean being forcibly drafted into the military if a war was going on. Here as in other softer planets becoming an adult involved getting stupid drunk while one’s parents were in the next room. Hailey supposed that by these standards this was a wonderful rite of passage. But she also found it thoroughly annoying. This was compounded by the headache she was rapidly developing. But before she could answer a man she recognized only as her classmate’s cousin walked over.

“I’m sorry if I don’t have a duenna to properly introduce me. I hope you don’t mind. My name is Edmund Vorparadjis and I couldn’t help noticing you from across the room,” Edmund stated looking down at Hailey.

Hailey glanced over at Julianna, “he must be really drunk if he noticed me before you.”

Julianna giggled, “oh, stop it Hailey, you’re so cute. Here,” Julianna said to Edmund, “why don’t I go talk to Celia Vordunn for a few minutes and leave you two to get acquainted? You have to be really nice though, Hailey is very shy and her mother died recently.”

With that Julianna got up, winked at Hailey and then walked off. Hailey had thought that she and Julianna were at least friendly towards each other if not friends yet. They ate lunch together and Hailey talking to Julianna didn’t make her want to stab her eyes out with rusty forks the way she did when talking to some of the other girls. So why had Julianna left her to this fellow?

Hailey glanced back at the boy who immediately took up Julianna’s spot. Hailey shifted away, it had been one thing for Julianna to sit that close, it was another thing for this fellow. Hailey looked the young man over, he had black hair and a pale face. He wasn’t ugly but his skin had an oily look to it as if he hadn’t bathed recently. His clothes also looked just a little too small for him, as if he’d borrowed them from his younger cousin Valentin, a boy in Hailey’s grade.

“You must be Hailey Vorpatril, my cousin Valentin talks about you all the time,” Edmund said. He seemed rather nervous and very sober all things considered, though Hailey didn’t know why.

“Really? I don’t think I’ve exchanged more than a handful of words with him,” Hailey noted.

Actually she knew he didn’t talk to her because he had once said that he didn’t want to be associated with any 'bizarre galactic women who didn’t know their place’. So she could not imagine what Edmund thought he was doing talking to her now, was he trying to set her up for some practical joke?

Edmund shrugged, “well, you know he likes to keep his emotions to himself. Anyway, let’s talk about you, it must be really hard right now considering that your mother is dead and your living with Ivan Vorpatril. I bet he brings women home all the time. I just hope he is at least a little discreet for your sake. But if he isn’t I will always be here to help if you need it.”

Hailey considered Edmund, he was either drunk, on some other drugs or remarkably stupid to first insult her father and then offer her his help. She didn’t even know him, which only made her more doubtful of his dubious promise. So what do you want, she wondered.

“Ivan has been very thoughtful throughout my mourning process,” Hailey noted.

“Oh, well, that’s good. But you know there are certain comforts one’s parents can’t provide,” Edmund stated before moving over.

Hailey caught his face in her hand as he moved in to kiss her.

“Yes, my parents have never tried to make out with me. You are absolutely right. You probably shouldn’t either, I don’t want you to get hurt. My grandfather Simon Illyan would not approve,” Hailey explained, leaving out the fact that she would kick him in the nads if he tried to surprise kiss her again. Apparently when a woman threatened violence against a man here it wasn’t taken as seriously as a man threatening another man.

Edmund pulled back, embarrassed, “sorry, I just thought you looked so sad. I just wanted to help any way I could. As for your family, I also know what disapproval looks like, I was kicked out of my home about a year ago. It’s really tough being alone. I bet it’s even harder when you have to be a caretaker to other family members.

Hailey was about to ask what he was talking about when he leaned closer and whispered, “I saw your grandfather in the hallway earlier. He was muttering incoherently to himself. Is it true that Lady Alys has to act as his nursemaid and make sure he doesn’t wander off? That must be very trying for all of you. It’s a pity your family didn’t give him the clean way out. At least then you would be free.”

Hailey listened to this and remembered a conversation she’d had with Simon about this after watching him behave oddly at a party. He had mentioned that he did it to throw off his old enemies. She had doubted the effectiveness of the strategy, thinking that Illyan couldn’t effectively hide his intelligence until now.

“Yes, well we’re all very fond of him,” Hailey managed.

Edmund nodded sympathetically, “yes I can imagine that you have a lot to deal with between your father’s reputation and your grandfather’s mental illness. Perhaps I could help you with your own reputation so you would have an easier time here on Barrayar.”

Hailey just stared at him, that headache which had started as a nuisance was boring into her skull just now.

Edmund was still too close when he whispered, “Are you a virgin?”

“Well, there was that time a boy fell on me when we were playing capture the flag,” Hailey offered. Really she should get up and leave, Hailey thought. But that wasn’t fair, this couch was comfortable and she had been here first.

Edmund looked nonplussed, “I… don’t think you understand what a virgin is. Look, you dress like a man and have short hair so people naturally assume there’s something wrong with you. They think that you might be a lesbian. Look, if we have sex and you wear some dresses people won’t think that about you and they’ll like you more. Let me help you.”

“Edmund, I’m going to need you to not talk to me again. You are so many kinds of stupid, I’m just – I need to go,” Hailey said getting up.

Edmund didn’t follow her as she headed over to the adult side of the party. She looked around for Ivan on that side but noticed him talking in an animated fashion with a woman.

At least he was enjoying himself, Hailey thought with a sigh. Hailey knew that her own black moods were affecting him and she wished she wasn’t such a nuisance to everyone around her.

“Hello Hailey, is there something you needed,” Simon asked at her shoulder.

Hailey turned around, “do you think Ivan and Lady Alys will want to leave soon?”

“Is something wrong,” Simon asked, his expression not changing.

“No, I’m just – it’s fine. Never mind, but when you are ready to go don’t worry about me wanting to stay longer,” Hailey said.

 

The party had been going on for some time and Hailey was wondering vaguely when Ivan would come back and get her so they could go. Julianna had come back and brought Hailey some water since Hailey didn’t drink alcohol. They had chatted for a while until a boy that Julianna liked had finally worked up enough liquid courage to ask her for a stroll in the gardens. So Hailey sat drinking her water on a couch. She studiously ignored the couple necking on the other end of it, less than a foot away. It wasn’t like there was anywhere else to go. By now the teens had split off throughout the house to gossip, make out or get completely drunk and make bad life choices.

Hailey set the water down abruptly and put her head in her hands as the room spun briefly. The pediatrician had said that if she wasn’t careful about keeping up her fluid intake she’d have another fainting episode. But she’d been good she thought. She took a deep breath then exhaled and looked around. The corners of her vision seemed blurry. Really these fainting episodes were embarrassing and she had no desire to be known as the fainting kid with the dead mother, which was indeed what she was rapidly becoming known for.

  
Edmund appeared from out of the corner of her eye and stood in front of her.

“Are you feeling sick,” he asked kneeling down so he could peer up into her eyes.

She didn’t particularly like or trust him but she was suddenly feeling completely, thoroughly and remarkably unwell. Hailey was seeing stars in front of her eyes. She shook her head though she knew on some level that wouldn’t help. The light-headedness matched with the nausea she felt in the pit of her stomach convinced her to talk to him. Besides, she couldn’t imagine he would be stupid enough to try anything in the house of a ruling count.

“Could you find Ivan or my grandparents,” Hailey asked. She felt the sweat exiting her pores around her collar and armpits. Her whole body felt like she was burning up now and she wondered how rude it would be to strip off her outer layers.

“I’m not sure where they are, but maybe I could take you to them,” Edmund offered.

“I don’t know if I should walk,” she said. If this was another fainting spell due to low blood pressure then standing would only exacerbate the symptoms. It would be better if she put her head down. But Edmund had already grabbed her under her arm and pulled her to her feet. She caught her breath but found she hadn’t fainted at least.

“Here, just lean on me for support,” he said helping her along.

They headed across the living room and through one hallway. The stairs were difficult she decided, wondering vaguely why they were walking upstairs but she was too tired to care at this point. Besides, Edmund was mostly carrying her. She considered that thought a moment and wondered if she should have shouted for help at the outset rather than going with him. Well why didn’t you, she asked. I didn’t want to make a scene, duh, came the response. Fear and shame are very powerful emotions, she decided. Besides, they hadn’t even left the house, it wasn’t like they were alone.

“Edmund, I really don’t feel well, maybe I should just sit down and you can find Ivan, please,” she asked trying not to sound desperate. Her vision had gone black but she didn’t want to tell him that.

“Sure, hold on, I’ll sit you down,” Edmund said leading her over and lowering her unto something soft that gave way as she dropped into it.

“Is this a bed,” Hailey asked running her hands along it, she could still feel at least. Though she wasn’t sure how loudly she was talking, she sounded like she was whispering to her own ears.

“You asked me to sit you down,” Edmund stated reassuringly. A moment later the door closed and then the bed shifted under Hailey.

“Edmund, I promise if you pull any of your vor masculine bullshit I will fucking castrate you,” Hailey said. She wondered if he heard her, she couldn’t even hear herself.


	4. Alcohol, poisoning and power hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan and Simon catch up to Hailey and things go from bad to worse.

Having a child certainly changed people’s perspectives of you, Ivan decided. Women who had started turning their noses up at him these past few years were now very interested in him. Mostly because they thought that since he had a child now he was more responsible and they could gab on about their own children. Not that he’d gone out with any of these women since Hailey had shown up. He thought he would get back to the dating scene soon. Hailey liked her grandparents as far as Ivan could tell and they liked her. Would it really be wrong to leave her at their home occasionally to go out? With Hailey’s permission of course and after making sure she wasn’t worried about them looking for a replacement for her.

Ivan was chatting up Evangelique Vorvayne when he noticed a man in Vorluften livery moved rapidly over to where Illyan was standing, holding up a wall. Ivan noticed that Illyan came to instant attention and then followed the man over to the “children’s side” of the party. Ivan quickly ended his conversation with the beautiful Evangelique Vorvayne and headed after them. You know if the kid had fainted again then the livery man should come find Ivan, not Simon, Ivan huffed internally. Ivan was her father after all and people had to realize he was serious about that if nothing else.

He saw them climb a set of stairs and followed after them, climbing the stairs two at a time to catch up. On the second floor landing Simon turned to give Ivan an appraising look, but waved the armsman on.

The armsman walked up to one of the doors and was about to knock when Simon moved faster and opened the door. Ivan thought that Simon did this because he didn't want to warn the inhabitants inside. The door was an old fashioned wooden one that swung in on a fully dressed teenage boy straddling a mostly naked girl. The boy looked up as the door opened and froze in his task of pulling the girl’s undershirt off.

“Shit,” the boy shouted, suddenly coming to life and scrambling off of her.

Ivan had noted the crumpled pants on the floor which undoubtedly belonged to his daughter. He saw the buttoned down shirt which had been removed from the girl but which still lay under her. But he couldn’t find the sweater Lady Alys had picked out for her. Had Ivan and Simon just interrupted a teenage tryst? Was that what the armsman had come to warn Simon about?

Ivan stood there at war with himself for several seconds. His first time had been at fifteen. Who was he to burst in on Hailey with some boy of her choosing? Yet, she was his little girl and he reserved the right to help her make good life decisions. He was about to say something when Simon moved rapidly across the room and pulled the shirt down on the girl to cover her.

That's when it sunk in and Ivan realized that Hailey still hadn’t moved.

She hadn’t yelled or followed the boy off the bed when Simon had opened the door. She was still stretched out across the duvet, unconscious. Then Ivan understood that this was not innocent teenage shenanigans. Ivan glanced at the Vorluften armsmen who still stood by watching the scene but not moving to intervene. That’s why the armsman went to go find Simon, Ivan realized. It was of course the paterfamilias right to deal with any young upstarts who were causing trouble for the women of the family.

“What did you do,” Ivan demanded in his best impersonation of his uncle Falco as he advanced on the youth. Ivan was not going to slip into hysteria yet, maybe his daughter was just in a little alcohol induced slumber, he hoped.

“I just- we had a few drinks, I didn’t realize there was anything wrong. I’m pretty drunk too,” the boy complained backing up to the far wall.

“Funny you don’t sound drunk,” Ivan growled.

“You’re lucky she’s still breathing. What did you give her,” Illyan demanded.

The room was dark but Ivan turned on the light. Let the little bastard get a good luck at them, Ivan decided angrily.

“I just- she had a few glasses of wine and we came up here to mess around. I swear,” the boy half pleaded.

“Just because she’s drunk doesn’t mean you have permission to touch her,” Ivan shouted.

The boy cringed, “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again,” he promised.

Simon removed something from his pocket which looked similar to a glucose reader for diabetics He pricked one of Hailey's fingers with it.The girl didn’t respond.

“Can I go, please,” the boy begged, “it really was just too much alcohol for her. She said she could handle it.”

The little machine in Illyan’s hand beeped, “that is not alcohol in her system.”

The boy panicked and tried to bolt past Ivan. Ivan usually didn’t take comfort in bullying smaller people. In this case he had no problem slamming the smaller male into a wall and then dropping him to the ground.

“Lord Ivan, Captian Illyan, should I ask the meaning of this,” Count Vorluften asked appearing in the doorway with two armsmen in tow. The one who had brought Simon and Ivan up was still present but didn’t speak.

“Your guest,” Illyan paused only briefly to glance at Ivan, “drugged my granddaughter and then attempted to take advantage of her. I would request that you hold him until Imperial Security can come and investigate. In the meantime, Ivan, take Hailey outside. I’m going to request that your ImpSec perimeter guard take the both of you to ImpMil.”

Ivan considered arguing but decided to leave Simon in charge.

“If he tries to run, please shoot him,” Ivan informed the Count before getting off the boy and heading over to the bed where his daughter lay. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her before picking her up.

“We have a more private back-way out,” the Count noted nodding to one of the armsmen. Vorluften didn’t want to deal with the social repercussions of someone being drugged under his nose, Ivan thought. That would definitely not be a good way for the count to end his daughter’s birthday party.

Illyan nodded and steered Ivan outside. A bland looking man in dress greens appeared and led them back to an aircar.

“I suppose you’ll inform my mother,” Ivan said to Simon.

Illyan was already heading back inside.

“Of course,” the older man promised. He didn’t turn around.

Ivan was glad enough to be avoiding any interrogations with an angry Illyan. Even if he wasn’t on the receiving end of that rage he was sure the collective atmosphere of it would be chocking. He didn’t feel sorry for the boy though.

 

The ImpSec officer, Captain Harmon, allowed them to slide into his backseat before getting in the front. He flipped on the emergency lights which allowed them to travel in the emergency air-car lanes and set off. Ivan noted that the man drove faster than him, but decided the impressiveness of the speed couldn’t be chalked up to advanced driving abilities. Captain Harmon didn’t have to worry about traffic or pedestrians. So really, Ivan was still the better driver. Not that he should try to commandeer the vehicle and get them to the hospital more quickly, Ivan told himself. Just let the nice man do his job.

He was still holding Hailey in his lap and considered setting her down and buckling her into the seat next to him. Her bare white legs were visible even in the dimness of the back of the air-car. He had never seen her legs before this, Ivan realized. She was always covered up. His jacket was wrapped around her now, covering up her torso and hiding her tangerine colored underwear which had little cartoons of a brontosaurus wearing sunglasses and playing the piano. You still have cartoons on your underpants nobody should be trying to sleep with you, Ivan told her silently. She was still breathing at least, Ivan thought. He kept checking her pulse, not panicked yet, but close to it. He reached down and lightly touched her leg, noting how cold it was.

“Could you turn the heat on,” Ivan asked their silent driver.

The ImpSec agent didn’t respond verbally but flipped a switch that blasted heat into the back of the car.

Fifteen minutes later they were at the entrance of ImpMil. Ivan had only begun to explain the problem when the ER physician held up a hand.

“We were already informed by Captain Illyan sir,” the man said before laying the girl down on a float pallet and having his team carry her off.

Ivan was left standing in the ER entryway wondering. Date rape drugs were undoubtedly no walk in the park, but this attention seemed a little excessive, Ivan decided. Those drugs were typically used for sleep disorders and were safe. Unless the drug was from Jackson’s Whole than the safety of it was obviously called into question, Ivan fretted. Was that what Illyan had seen on that little screen when he’d been looking at Hailey’s blood? The man had been deadly calm between that moment and when he’d led Ivan outside. He had been very quick and efficient in getting them to ImpMil and making sure there was a medical team. This could be chalked up to panic on a normal person but on Illyan, well the man had dealt with the possible destruction of everything and everyone on a weekly if not daily basis. Surely he wouldn’t be requiring all of this if it wasn’t necessary. Ivan slumped over into a chair but his mind raced over the horrible possibilities. Hailey honey, what have we done to you, he silently asked.

 

Illyan had returned to the Vorluften house and gone upstairs. Reinforcements from Imperial Security had very quietly materialized a short time after that and led the jabbering teenager out the back way, away from the high-powered guests.

“You’ve been faking! You’re not half as cracked as you pretend to be,” the boy accused.

Illyan didn’t respond.

“Captain Illyan, I assure you that I did not invite that young man to this party. He was a relative of one of Rachel’s friends,” Count Vorluften declared.

“I am sure it will all be sorted out in a few hours,” Illyan stated ominously before heading back downstairs.

He found Lady Alys still surrounded by her coterie and moved in. He kissed her hand before whispering in her ear, “we have to go. I’ll explain later.”

She did nothing so obvious as raise an eyebrow but said her goodbyes and they headed out to the car. Christos was there already waiting for them.

 

As soon as Edmund was seated on a chair in the interrogation room an allergy patch was slapped on him.

“Look, it was just a mistake, I, I didn’t know any better I was set up,” he exclaimed as tears which had been brimming in his eyes started to fall and run down his cheeks.

The hard faced men showed him neither disgust nor empathy. The Captain in charge of the interrogation only offered a flat statement, “due to the nature of your perceived crimes and the individuals involved you will be undergoing a fast penta interrogation. Provided that you are innocent of wrong-doing as you claim you will be freed.”

The patch was pulled off, no rash had developed. So the cool hypospray of fast penta was applied to the young man. The interrogator, who only identified himself as Captain Franz ran through the preliminary questions with Edmund until the he was sufficiently under.

“Did you arrive at the Vorluften party with the intent of poisoning Mademoiselle Mujica,” Captain Franz asked.

“No! Of course not,” Edmund declared.

“Did you arrive at the Vorluften party with the intent of drugging or otherwise incapacitating Mademoiselle Mujica?”

Edmund shuddered as if in pain, “I just meant to give her a little bit, but I was nervous so I gave her the whole thing. But I swear, when I saw its effect the last time it only made the girl happy and compliant. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I don’t know what happened.”

“What drug did you think you were giving Mademoiselle Mujica?”

“Just a little Tofinvel, it’s a- a date rape drug. But that’s such a nasty term, really it just makes the girl more relaxed.”

“So you intended to sexually assault Mademoiselle Mujica,” Captain Franz asked. His voice contained neither disgust nor censure, he was a true professional.

“Yes, I mean maybe. I would have preferred it if she was interested in me but she wasn’t and I really needed help. I didn’t know what to do,” Edmund explained desperately.

“Help? How could she help you? Were you expecting psychological help? Or something else, financial help? Was your goal to blackmail her?”

Edmund shuddered again, “Well he mentioned that she had a huge dowry and the family is old Vor. I knew of a scandal down on south continent where a vor bud was caught in a compromising position and had to marry the guy. I just thought… well I’m the third son and a member of the family’s cadet branch to boot so there was no chance of my inheriting anything. On top of that my parents surprised me by throwing me out of the house after my high school graduation and cutting me off financially after I didn’t make it into the Imperial Academy. There wasn’t even any warning!”

“Was your plan to give Mademoiselle Mujica the Tofinvel and then force her to marry you,” Captain Franz asked, cutting off the rest of the young man’s story.

“Yes. But I would have been a good husband. I had plans to be more financially responsible and – and attentive and thoughtful,” Edmund explained.

“But you didn’t come up with this plan initially, did you? Did someone else suggest that you do this? You mentioned there was a ‘he’ guiding you earlier. Who is he,” Captain Franz asked.

Edmund flapped his hands uselessly, “he found me when I was out one day. I had an apartment in the cavernserai and everyone knew my story. He just knocked on my door and invited me out for a drink.”

“At the bar that day he told you to rape Mademoiselle Mujica and marry her,” Captain Franz asked.

“No. He asked me a lot about my family back home in south continent. Then we talked about how I’d been staying with family here in Vorbarra Sultana but they kicked me out too and I had nowhere to go and- and I was working in a grocery store because I’m not qualified for anything else,” Edmund declared rubbing the tears off of his face.

“So this man, did he have a name? How did he inform you of this plan?”

“He invited me out a few more times before he made the suggestion. It was after we were drinking one night. He’d slipped something into this girl’s drink and I – we – well I didn’t realize it then but he told me afterwards. He said he would report me for raping her and I got really scared. Then he said he wouldn’t and that he would help me if I helped him. So he gave me the same drug, at least I thought it was the same drug, I couldn’t tell the difference. But he gave me the drug and told me to slip it to Hailey Vorpatril or Mujica or whatever her last name is, and as long as I did that everything would be fine and my money problems would be over,” Edmund explained.

“But who is he?”

Edmund shrugged, “he initially introduced himself as a friend of a friend. He told me to call him Evgeny. I don’t think – I don’t know what his last name was, it didn’t seem relevant.”

“He was blackmailing you and you didn’t think it relevant,” Captain Franz asked.

“Well, and he was helping me solve my money problems. I was supposed to get evicted at the end of this month. What was I supposed to do,” Edmund whined.

“The drug found in Mademoiselle’s bloodstream was not Tofenvil. It was DTX60, a very potent toxin. You tried to kill her, or your boss did through you. If you want to stay out of prison I suggest that you cooperate with us to the best of your ability. You can begin by telling me everything about Evgeny and his plan. Why did he target Mademoiselle Mujica?”

“But, But I wasn’t trying to kill her, doesn’t intention count for anything? And I don’t know why, I asked him that question too but he told me it was none of my business. But I got the feeling it wasn’t anything to do with the girl directly. He did mention something about getting Illyan’s reaction once. Then he looked mad like he hadn’t meant to say anything. I didn’t argue since Hailey does seem to have a huge dowry, courtesy of her da. I mean ok I get why my parents threw me out I guess, I was messing around with drugs and wasn’t the most upstanding kid but they didn’t have to destroy my life! I just wanted a second chance. I promise I would have been a better person,” Edmund pleaded.

 

Simon Illyan and Lady Alys Vorpatril sat watching this interplay along a closed circuit vid in a conference room one floor up from the ImpSec interrogation rooms.

A message beeped on Illyan’s wristcomm. He glanced down at it and passed it silently over to Lady Alys. It was the ER physician stating that Mademoiselle Mujica was stabilized and being kept for observation. Whether there would be long term brain or other organ damage had yet to be determined. She would live, for now anyway.

Lady Alys pinched her nose and sat back in the chair, “I think I would like to visit ImpMil and see my granddaughter in person. I am sure Ivan needs to be relieved at some point to get some rest. But more to the point, I have no desire to hear anymore from this- this parasite tonight.”

After uttering this statement Lady Alys rose to her feet and headed for the door. She paused before opening the door, “Simon, there’s no reason for you to stay either. I am certain that if there is something worth knowing ImpSec will be sure to send you a transcript of it.”

“I think it would be better if I didn’t come. We should consider publicly distancing ourselves. I had thought that after my forcible retirement,” Simon began. Then shook his head, “I’ve made a great number of enemies. This is something I will have to live with. But you and your family shouldn’t suffer for this. I can’t allow it.”

He looked at her as he spoke those damning words, he didn’t flinch away. Lady Alys noted the tension and stubbornness which he carried in his shoulders. She moved away from the door and back to him.

“Simon, I’ve already lived thirty years alone. You are not going to make me do that again because of this,” Lady Alys informed him.

“I will not put your family in danger,” Simon stated solemnly.

“Simon, open your eyes, do you see how closely Ivan, Hailey and I stand to the Imperium? How could we ever live away from danger, even if you run away,” Lady Alys demanded.

“Run away,” Simon demanded, “I’m trying to protect you by distancing myself. That maniac, who ever he is wants to attack me and he has no compunctions about destroying any of you to do that. How could I live with myself if anything happened to you, any of you because of my enemies?”

“How am I supposed to live with myself if something happens to you because of your enemies? Hailey painted you into that family portrait for a reason. You insult my honor if you think I would abandon a loved one,” Lady Alys stated.

Simon sighed and raked a hand through his thinning hair, “it’s not safe.”

“It will never be safe. I learned that during the War of the Pretendership. But we have to go on anyway. Come see our granddaughter with me,” Lady Alys said holding out her hand to him.

Simon looked back to the screen where Edmund was still spilling his guts to the interrogators. Slowly Simon reached over and turned off the screen.

“I want security forces to be upgraded around this family until the man behind this is found,” Simon stated before taking Lady Alys’s hand in his and gently turning it over to kiss the back of it.


	5. Hospital rooms and multiplication tables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan, Illyan and Lady Alys discuss the ramifications of this evening. Hailey awakens in the hospital.

Ivan was sitting in a chair next to Hailey’s bed, watching some program with little interest. The girl was still unconscious. She had one IV in one arm delivering fresh blood to her and another IV in the other with something else streaming in. The doctors had explained things to Ivan but he wasn’t really listening after they mentioned that she was stable and likely to awaken. It didn’t mean anything to him.

His mother and Simon entered the room, both looking tired and a little wild. Ivan checked his chrono which showed it to be very late, or very early depending on how you looked at it.

“Well, did you nail him? What happened,” Ivan asked.

Lady Alys sighed and walked over to Hailey. She smoothed the girl’s hair before pulling the blanket up to better cover the girl. After this little ritual she turned to Ivan and spoke, “the boy confessed to attempted rape among other things. Let us continue this conversation in the hallway.”

Ivan nodded slightly and followed after them.

“So,” Ivan asked.

Lady Alys and Simon glanced at each other.

Simon fielded the question, “Edmund Vorparadjis was still undergoing an interrogation with ImpSec when we left. But we know that he didn’t know he was giving Hailey a poison. He thought it was – a mind altering drug. His goal was to sleep with her and then force her to marry him. It is an old vor tactic, unsurprising since his family is highly conservative.”

“What, Ivan demanded, “hey we left the Time of Isolation a while back. You can’t just go around raping people and then demanding that they marry you anymore.”

Lady Alys shook her head, “This tactic has been employed more recently than the Time of Isolation. I remember a few young women caught in compromising situations who were forced to marry their partners when I was young. It still happens Ivan. I suppose I should be thankful it never happened to you.”

Ivan managed to look indignant, “well, anyway what did that little punk think he would be getting if he married her?”

Lady Alys gave Ivan a particular look, “come now Ivan, you set Hailey’s dowry. You know the sum is large enough to attract would be gold-diggers. I suppose I should have stepped in sooner. Well, it can’t be helped now.”

“What was I supposed to do? You know the proper way to acknowledge a bastard is to give her a dowry. I was just following protocol! It’s not like I could give her a paltry one either. I was only setting it as high as I thought I was supposed to considering our rank and funds. I didn’t want anyone to be able to make fun of her for it or for her to feel bad because I set it too low. I was just trying to be a good da,” Ivan complained.

Simon shook his head, “Edmund is just another sycophant. The bigger problem is the man who gave Edmund the poison and told the boy that it was something else. We have reason to believe that the goal was to kill Hailey to punish me. We don’t yet know who this man is or why he has decided to attack now.”

“Oh,” Ivan said falling silent.

“I’m sorry,” Simon stated.

Lady Alys sighed and reached over to squeeze Simon’s hand, “you are not responsible for every lunatic who comes after you.”

“Yeah, I mean if I held a grudge against Miles for every time he almost got me killed while dealing with every lunatic who came after him we wouldn’t be on speaking terms,” Ivan put in after a moment.

Simon’s mouth curved into a mirthless smile, “thank you, I suppose.”

 

Hailey rolled unto her back and then opened her eyes and sat up. Well she tried to anyway, she was jerked back by an oxygen match that was wrapped around her face. So she pulled that off and then sat up, then momentarily panicked at seeing that both her arms had IVs in them. Ivan came over from his position on a chair next to the bed and caught her hands before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Hailey, don’t panic but I need you to answer some questions, do you know where you are,” Ivan asked. His voice came out an octave higher than usual. Unless she was hearing things, she decided.

Hailey stared at him, “no, obviously not, I was unconscious and now I’m awake here in this room I’ve never seen before. I don’t know how I got here or why we’re here. Weren’t we supposed to go to a party? Did you crash the car while we were heading to the party and now we’re in a hospital,” Hailey demanded.

Ivan looked thoroughly offended, “I absolutely did not crash the car! This was completely not my fault. Who is the emperor of the planet?”

“The emperor of which planet,” Hailey asked.

“Ivan, you’re scaring her,” Lady Alys murmured getting up from her own seat and coming over.

“I am not, I just want to make sure she’d ok. What’s 213,519 multiplied by 53,692,” Ivan asked.

“Uh, a really big number,” Hailey said.

“The doctors recently told Ivan that you might have some… residual cognitive effects from the drug. Ivan, really you’re being hysterical,” Lady Alys scolded.

“I just want to make sure Hailey is ok,” Ivan insisted, looking his daughter over anxiously.

“I… don’t understand. Also, where are my clothes? Why am I naked,” Hailey asked retrieving her hands from Ivan and pulling the blankets up over herself.

“Hailey do you remember going to Rachel Vorluften’s party,” Ivan asked carefully.

Simon Illyan who had not spoken during this interchange came forward to listen but offered no comments.

Hailey paused and considered this, she tried to think then slowly shook her head, “no,” she whispered.

Lady Alys sighed and sat down on the other edge of the bed before hugging the girl.

“Hailey, you’re alright now. But earlier at the party someone poisoned you. The perpetrator has been caught and is currently being held by ImpSec. He was not acting alone. But ImpSec hopes to find his collaborator soon,” Lady Alys explained.

The adults were watching her anxiously.

“But why,” Hailey asked. Were these political agents who were trying to get even for something Chel had done? Some angry Barrayarans? A random attack?

Illyan visibly winced, “they were trying to hurt you to get to me. I’m so sorry.”

“Well, that’s very rude of them,” Hailey managed.

“It’s more than that,” Ivan declared.

Just then the face of a teenage girl poked her head around the doorframe.

Julianna knocked on the doorframe causing everyone to turn and look at her.

“Hailey,” she asked uncertainly.

“That’s still what they call me,” Hailey said.

From her point at the door Julianna suddenly exploded across the room, whizzing past Illyan and climbing on the bed to grab Hailey before bursting into tears.

“I’m so glad you’re not dead! I thought I killed you! You were dead, then you were alive then you were dead! It’s all my fault! They said he put it in your drink and I – we – I told him you didn’t like alcohol and he handed me a glass of water. I gave you poison! I am the worst friend ever,” Julianna sobbed remorsefully.

Lady Vortugalov, Julianna’s mother stood in the doorway, “Julie you can’t just climb up on the poor girl’s bed like that. I am so sorry, she was in hysterics at home so I brought her here. We can go if Hailey needs her rest.”

“I shouldn’t have trusted him. He had weird skin, like he never went out in the sunlight! You can’t trust vampires Hailey. Don’t do it,” Julianna babbled frantically.

“So Edmund Vorparadjis gave the poisoned drink to you and you gave it to Hailey,” Simon asked.

“I didn’t know it was poisoned. It looked like normal water. Why would someone do that at a sweet sixteen party,” Julianna demanded.

"Yeah, why couldn't those filthy space-pirate hookers wait until some less important event to poison me," Hailey muttered.

“Julianna, you can’t. I’m so sorry, we really are very upset that Hailey was poisoned. It doesn’t matter that it was at a sweet sixteen party. But who would do such a thing, was it something related to her mother,” Lady Vortugalov asked looking to Lady Alys.

Lady Alys nodded and side stepped the question, “yes well, we appreciate your thoughts but I think Hailey needs to rest. Perhaps Julianna can visit at another time.”

“I swear I will make it up to you. If I have to bring you cookies for a year, I will do it. If I have to walk several miles barefoot through broken glass I will do that too. If I have to –“ Julianna began.

“Whoa, wow well that escalated really fast. Listen, why don’t we just all calm down and realize it was a mistake. Just don’t bring me things from strangers anymore, ok,” Hailey asked.

“Oh, Hailey, do you mean it,” Julianna asked hugging the other girl.

“I suppose,” Hailey murmured.

“Oh, but why are you naked,” Julianna asked in confusion.

Hailey blushed, “I asked the same question a little while ago. We’ll figure this out eventually. But I am really, really tired.”

“Oh, right, sorry, sorry. Get some rest,” Julianna said climbing off the bed with Ivan’s help and scampering back to her mother.

“Lady Vortugalov, thank you for bringing your daughter to visit. It would be nice if you called ahead in the future that we might be more ready for her,” Lady Alys noted.

Lady Vortugalov smiled and nodded, said her goodbyes and led her tearful daughter out.

“Damn vultures,” Ivan muttered, “you would think ImpSec would do a better job of keeping them out.”

“What are you talking about,” Hailey asked.

Lady Alys pursed her lips, “while I am sure Julianna has the best of intentions in wanting to come visit you. I imagine that her mother indulged the girl only because she herself was interested in the gossip surrounding the situation.”

Hailey stared at them, since when was attempted murder just intrigue? She dropped her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes, surprised at how tired she suddenly felt.

“Hey, if you are going back to sleep, don’t forget your oxygen mask. The doctor wanted you to wear it for your first night here,” Ivan noted helping her put it on.  
Ivan turned off her overhead light and Hailey fell asleep quickly.


	6. Late night calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon Illyan and Miles discuss the case

Illyan was unsurprised at receiving a call on his commconsole in the early hours before dawn. He was awake anyway. Perhaps it had something to do with his conscience. Illyan got up to transfer the call to a different commconsole in the flat as he had no desire to wake up Lady Alys. Miles Vorkosigan’s face appeared on the screen when Illyan keyed it up.

“Miles? They put you on this poisoning case then,” Illyan asked.

“I am the youngest auditor in town and thus likely to get the screwiest jobs. My former experience in ImpSec doesn’t hurt either,” Miles offered with a bemused grin.

“Well, out with it, what do you have for me?”

It was very similar to their old debriefings when Illyan had still been chief of ImpSec and Miles his trustworthy and yet not-so-trustworthy subordinate.

“We managed to positively ID the fellow who passed the drugs off to Edmund Varparadjis, sir,” Miles stated.

“You don’t look happy about this,” Illyan noted.

“Imperial guards were called in after a dead body was found floating in a lake by some teens in Vorhalas district. Apparently they were going skinny dipping and were persuaded not to after spotting the corpse. That dead body was positively identified as Edmund’s Evgeny only after animation rendering could be done to fix his face,” Miles explained.

So their main lead was dead, executed it seemed. Unless he drowned himself out of fear of being caught, Illyan thought.

“Approximate time of death,” Illyan asked.

Miles made a face, “Several hours ago, approximated to before you caught up to Edmund. So suicide in the face of capture is unlikely. Perhaps Evgeny was himself a pawn. The body itself didn’t have any identification on it. We are only aware of his identity from talking to Edmund and placing visits to some of their old meeting points. So there’s even some question about whether it’s just a body double.”

“Hm,” Illyan tapped his fingers contemplatively on his desk.

“I don’t suppose Ivan will be around to help me solve this attempted murder,” Miles stated.

“He wanted to stay the night in the hospital with his daughter. I would suggest leaving him out of this just now,” Illyan advised.

“You know I broke my legs trying to jump down from a wall during the physical exam for the academy. It hurt like hell but I didn’t make my parents stay the night when the surgeon had to put me back together,” Miles complained.

Miles had met his niece only three weeks ago, after the Kevin fiasco was coming to an end with the man’s execution. The family had gone back for dinner at Vorkosigan house so Hailey could meet Ekaterin and Miles and visit with Nikki.

“You must be Mark’s brother,” Hailey had said upon being introduced to Miles.

Mark had positively beamed while Miles had spent nearly half an hour explaining that he was the older brother and therefore Mark was his brother. Not the other way around. Miles liked the idea of Mark and him traveling together and unsettling people. But only so long as it was understood that Miles was the original. Some late stage sibling rivalry, the Countess had once pointed out, which was interesting to watch if you didn’t mind the possible dangers that came from being near Miles.

The second issue had arisen when Ivan was joking that he had actually beat Miles at something in reference to who had been the first to have children. They had both had a bit too much to drink when Miles stuffed both his feet in his mouth and attempted to argue that Hailey didn’t count because she was illegitimate. Miles had undoubtedly only meant to bait Ivan but Hailey had gotten up and walked out of the room. Ivan had rounded on Miles over that, not in his typical good natured way, but in a serious rage over Miles’s comment. It had been painful to watch.

The two had sobered up the next day and had apologized to each other for the fight and Miles had apologized to Hailey. But things between the two men had not resumed their normal stride, nor did Simon expect them to. Miles was married with a step-son now and Ivan had a daughter to look after. Their relationship had been bound to change as Ekaterin took on some of the roles that Ivan used to play. But with the addition of a daughter, that meant bachelor Ivan was no longer available at Miles beck and call every hour of the day.

A part of Simon thought it appropriate to ruthlessly point out that at Miles’s age, he was already chief of ImpSec and had kissed any chance at intimacy with another person good bye. That Miles should be pouting because his closest friend now had other responsibilities and was jealous of a girl half his age was ridiculous. But Simon also knew the story behind that jealousy. Miles, due to his teratogenic abnormalities had been picked on from childhood onwards. He had only had Gregor, Elena and Ivan as constant friends while growing up. Elena was gone now, married off to an offworlder and hopefully living happily ever after. Gregor himself was married and distracted with his own babies. Meanwhile Ivan had a child now. Miles, poor Miles who was always quietly uncertain about his place in things was beginning to wonder how much of his childhood friend and confidante he was surrendering to Hailey, this young stranger.

“Hailey didn’t ask Ivan to stay, he wanted to. As I would expect you would want to stay if any of your children became ill. How are Aral Alexander and Helena” Simon asked.

  
Miles shrugged, partially mollified, “I’ve been talking to them, I hope they’ll start talking back any day now.”

“Didn’t you just uncork them a few weeks ago,” Simon smiled.

“Fortune favors the prepared, sir,” Miles stated.

Simon was about to cut the comm when Miles started again, “you know I still think Hailey might be a Cetagandan sleeper agent.”

Simon snorted, “If they were going to usurp the government and put in a puppet dictator they would have made her a boy. Also, since Gregor is married off now with children it’s not as if she could become empress through marriage even if age of consent was lowered. Besides, that’s not her personality.”

“So you have considered it,” Miles stated triumphantly.

Simon shrugged, “I consider all possibilities.”

“Maybe the Cetagandans goal isn’t to put a puppet dictator in, but just to cause as much chaos as possible,” Miles argued.

“That seems too sloppy for them to just let things fall where they may. No, if they were in charge there would be a long term goal for all of this,” Simon reasoned.

Miles frowned, “well… anyway I still don’t trust her.”

“Emotions do sometimes color our judgments,” Simon murmured.

Miles did not take the hint.

“I suppose I’ll report back in as I find things, sir.”

Simon nodded, “I expect you will. If it makes you feel better I will keep a close eye on Hailey for now. Considering that I was chief of ImpSec for thirty years one would hope that if she is colluding with the Cetagandans I’ll be able to uncover it.”

Miles nodded and cut the comm.

Simon sat in front of the screen even after the image faded. He looked around his small study room and thought of his former enforced bachelor pad in ImpSec HQ where he had lived for many years. Simon thought it was odd that in some ways, his life would begin after retirement. It was stranger still to think that he, a man who had no children of his own, now had a granddaughter. He pondered the complexities of his life until Lady Alys came in some time later.

“Simon, love, come back to bed.”


	7. Making friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hailey and Byerly bond

Byerly was awakened from his slumber on the couch by his doorbell ringing. He hadn’t quite made it back to his bed the night before. He checked the clock and saw that it was too early for any of his associates to be up and about.

Slowly he made his way over to the door and checked who it was. Being a deep cover agent meant never knowing when some relative of the clown you put away was out to exact vengeance. It was not a large hulking fellow or a group of large hulking fellows as By initially feared. Just a small dark haired girl.

Byerly sighed and opened the door, “Hailey, what are you doing?”

“Hi Byerly, can I come in,” Hailey asked.

By looked around the hallway to his flat and saw Christos standing casually a few feet away.

“Did something horrible happen to your family and you need a place to hide out,” By asked.

“No.”

“Well then go home. I’m tired,” By said moving to shut the door.

“Byerly! Come on, you have to help me out,” Hailey said moving to stop the door from closing.

By looked over at Christos who only shrugged, then he turned back to Hailey.

“The last time I attempted to help you out this giant sociopath tried to kill me,” By pointed out.

“I’m sorry about that. But this time I just needed a place to lay low for a while.”

“Why?”

“Because Ivan won’t let me hang out with any of my guy friends since they might be rapists. My grandmother won’t let me hang out with my girl friend because of her stupid mother. Simon is busy double scanning anything and everyone who comes into the house. They’re making me crazy Byerly!”

Byerly was about to interrupt when Hailey pulled her shirt up slightly to reveal her stomach.

“They’re giving me hives By,” Hailey shouted.

By looked at the pink upraised skin around Hailey’s belly button and wrinkled his nose.

“You know there’s a cream for that,” Byerly observed.

“Byerly, this is serious!”

“You know I hate to get involved in family problems,” Byerly began.

“But?”

“Nope, that’s it. Go home. Maybe I’ll see you at the next party at the residence,” By said trying to close the door again.

“Boy, is Lady Alys going to be disappointed when I tell her that you disobeyed a directive,” Hailey sighed shoving her hands in her pockets.

By paused, “what?”

“Well why do you think Christos is here? You think I just slipped out of the house without telling anyone? Of course they know I’m here. But I suppose you and my grandmother are on such good terms that this action on your part won’t affect the assignments she gives you,” Hailey murmured.

By’s face visibly twitched, he looked around his abandoned hallway, muttered a few choice swear words and waved Hailey in.

“Remember our promise,” Christos murmured as she walked in after Byerly.

 

Technically her grandmother hadn’t suggested that Hailey hang out with Byerly. But really he wasn’t the worst person she could be with. Considering how terrified of Simon Byerly was, no one expected him to try anything even if he wanted to. Which Hailey didn’t think he did. By definitely seemed interested in people who knew what they were about rather than delicate virgins, a title that everyone seemed to attach to her.

She had convinced Christos to take her to By’s place with the agreement that she wouldn’t play any songs by the boy-band “The Vordrozda Brothers” on their way to or from school anymore if he did this for her. Apparently boy-bands could be used as a negotiating tool with adults.   Plus she only had a half day of school and seeing what Byerly did seemed much more interesting than moping around her grandparents apartment until Ivan showed up and they went home.

She looked around the apartment and was disappointed that there wasn’t even a stripper pole in the place. It didn’t actually look that different from Ivan’s apartment. Well, except for the fuzzy handcuffs she found on the couch. By pulled those out of her hand and threw them into his bedroom before closing that door rapidly. At least Hailey thought that was his bedroom, there seemed to be mirrors on the ceiling.

“Why did your grandmother think this was a good idea? Aside from you driving the family crazy? How am I supposed to explain this,” By demanded.

“You started inviting me over to the house in an attempt to seduce Ivan? It’s part of your court mandated community service? You realized your passion for helping troubled teens? You wanted to start a band and thought I’d be good on the tambourine? You’re a pedophile,” Hailey suggested.

“I am not a pedophile,” By declared angrily.

"Whoa, ok chief, I was just brainstorming. I’m sorry,” Hailey said holding up her hands. Angry Byerly was assuredly not fun Byerly, Hailey decided. Maybe this was a mistake.

By calmed down and visibly pulled himself back.

“That’s not funny. Anyway think about your own reputation. Do you really want to be known as that girl,” By asked.

Hailey folded her arms across her chest, “as opposed to what? I’m already the girl whose step father tried to kill her on a school field-trip. The girl with the dead mother. Oh, and the girl who almost got raped at Rachel Vorluften’s party. May I point out that people are still on the fence about whether that would be a good or bad thing because who knows, that might have inspired me to dress more appropriately for my gender, So pardon me Byerly Vorrutyer, if I am not worried about my reputation!”

They stared silently at each other.

“Have you talked to Ivan or your grandmother about this,” Byerly asked quietly.

“No. They have enough to deal with just now. I’m sorry. I lied, my grandmother didn’t abruptly demand that you babysit me. I’ll go,” Hailey said turning around to leave.

Byerly swore under his breath and grabbed her arm, “no, it’s fine. You can stay. But only for a little while and if your family calls in a panic, demanding to know where you are I am telling them that you lied to me.”

“Really?”

By made a face, “I’m going to regret this deeply. But yes. Here take the remote, watch some vids. I’m going to go shower. You can sit on this couch and that chair and that chair but do not sit on that one and definitely do not sit on that couch.”

“Why?”

“How old are you again,” By asked.

“Fifteen.”

“Right... it’s because I had a party here a few nights ago and things were spilled on it.”

“Oh.”

Byerly headed off to the shower.

“Byerly?”

By paused and turned around, “yes?”

“Can I order a pizza?”

By’s eyebrow quirked, “do you have money to pay for a pizza?”

“Yes.”

“Then by all means you can use my commconsole and order a pizza.”

 

“Byerly, can I ask you a question,” Hailey asked a few days later.

“You just did,” By observed picking up another crab puff. He told himself he was not going to make a habit of letting her visit his flat because he was fairly sure Lady Alys would murder him. Or Simon would. Or it would be a joint effort and nobody would find the body because the task force had been distracted by tea cakes or some other tastefully devised diversion. Really it was only the third time she’d come over and he was sure he could find her some more suitable friends through Olivia Koudelka if he tried.

“Hey, that one is mine,” Hailey declared.

“Is it, well we got six and you had one and I – huh, guess it was,” By ate it anyway.

Hailey huffed, but continued, “Bylerly, what do you think of the Greekie minority?”

“I don’t really,” By said, thinking immediately of that Greekie drug smuggling ring he’d helped take down a few months ago. Hopefully they didn’t think of him much either.

“Well, I’ve been thinking about them and it seems like they don’t have a voice in government, is there a Greekie count? They were only recently allowed to start teaching at the Imperial Academy, just before the Komarrans started being allowed to apply as students. But I can’t tell a Greekie from any of the other nationalities,” Hailey observed.

“That is how you start a brawl in a bar... or in the Council of Counts,” By stated.

“Ok, but they arrived with the Firsters and they still don’t get the same respect. The Komarrans came later and they are definitely disadvantaged compared to the average Barrayaran and they’re still pretty similar phenotypically. So what would happen if a new ethnic minority showed up that didn’t speak any of the common languages besides English? What if they looked different,” Hailey asked.

“Do I look like an expert on the government or foreign relations? Shouldn’t you be asking someone with an actual degree in this stuff these questions? Come back to me when you have questions about the potency of different high end designer drugs. On second thought, forget I said that. I never said that,” By hastily said. He didn’t think his apartment was bugged… but with ImpSec as your boss you could never be too sure. They liked to make sure that they knew about all of their agents dirty habits.

“Well I went to go see Duv about his thoughts but you know how it is. He’s always so busy and then when he answers questions he’s so… polite. No, coy maybe. Hm well anyway it seemed like he was sugar coating it. I mean I want to invite Isa and the elders to come visit because I know relations between the Uyghur peoples and the government on XinAn is deteriorating. There’s relative peace now but people are worried it’s just the calm before a genocide. Except I don’t know if Barrayar is the best place for them either.”

“Hailey, what’s a little racism between Imperial subjects compared to full-scale murder? I think you’re overthinking things. If you talk to Gregor, and I am telling you now to talk to Gregor before doing anything else, then you should probably just invite your friend and his little friends over as soon as possible to get things rolling,” By advised.

“Well I know that. Ivan is taking me to meet with him tomorrow,” Hailey noted.

“Oh, well then what are you worried about? I’m sure Gregor will love the idea of getting some poor bastards to properly populate that planet,” By stated.

“Ivan was complaining about that the other night. I don’t know I just think it’s hard to talk to Gregor,” Hailey said.

By studied her a moment and a smirk spread across his face, “well at least we don’t have to worry about your loyalties.”

“What,” Hailey asked, her brow wrinkling.

“To be fair you’re not the only one. Did you know our dear emperor has a fan club that he’s horribly embarrassed about? Though there isn’t much else he can feel or do about it considering the bulk of it is made up adolescent girls. Sadly his morals are too unimpeachable for him to do anything with the fanbase,” By noted with a shake of his head.

When the blush hit both of her cheeks By reflected on what a cute little kid Hailey was. So what are you doing here with me, he wondered.

“Oh my god, you’d better not mention that to anyone ever. This is a secret, a super top secret secret that’s so secret you never talk about it with anyone, even yourself ever again. You take that shit to the grave. Why are you laughing? It is not funny. You are the worst Byerly Vorrutyer. I’m going home,” Hailey declared.

“Well alright,” By said aggreably.

“And I’m taking the food with me!”

“Now wait a minute, let’s handle this like rational people. Why don’t you sit back down and we can talk about your immigration issues. Or political issues. Hell I could pretend to be a lawyer,” By promised, at least until he got some of the dessert cookies she’d brought with her.

“Or we could talk about something personal about you. Why haven’t you proposed to Ivan yet?”

“Because Ivan doesn’t strike me as the catcher in our relationship. He has shown a clear preference for women. And because homosexuality is still a dischargeable offense in the military,” By explained ticking off reasons on his fingers

“Well that’s stupid. You have an all male military where they send their soldiers off on all male space ships to orbit the planet or bases in the tundra or whatever. You surround a bunch of guys with more guys and then don’t think some of them are going to sleep with each other? That is, that is absolutely ridiculous,” Hailey declared.

A loud banging on By’s door interrupted their conversation.

“Byerly! Open up you little weasel!”

Hailey glanced at Byerly, “is that Ivan?”

“Sounds like it,” By noted finishing off his wine glass before turning the holovid on. He switched it to a cartoon channel before turning back to her, “why don’t I go talk to him? Just sit tight and think happy thoughts. And save me some dessert.”

“Are you sure,” Hailey asked.

“Absolutely. Just watch some vids. It’ll be fine,” By instructed.

He opened the door on an irate Ivan and pulled him into the kitchen. Hailey couldn’t hear them over the TV.


	8. Parenthood and presentations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byerly and Ivan discuss parenting techniques. Hailey discusses the Uyghurs with Gregor

“Why are there rumors that Hailey’s been visiting you? Why is she here now,” Ivan demanded.

“I’m trying to gain her trust so I can seduce you,” By stated.

Ivan caught the smaller man’s shirt and balled it up in his fist before shoving By into a wall, “look, I don’t know what your games are but they had better not involve her.”

“Relax, would you? Consider this, I answer to your mother who is basically married to Simon. Do you think I want to piss either of them off? Of course not. I have no intentions of any kind with you daughter except some casual information gathering. Besides, she came to see me, just ask Christos,” By pointed out.

Ivan frowned at this, but released his grip on By's shirt. Ivan rubbed his head as if it hurt, “what does she want with you? I’m her father. I shouldn’t be hearing bizarre rumors of her gallivanting about with strange men.”

“Moi, strange? I would think debonair, suave, perhaps even delightfully eccentric would be good adjectives to describe me. But strange? Hardly. As to why she is here, well I gather that your hovering parenting style is exacerbating the issue of her finding suitable age play-mates. Surely you would know from your own mother’s parenting that this style is bound to drive the offspring away,” By stated.

Ivan considered this, then looked extremely put out, “you know I’m only involved because I care.”

“That was your mother’s reason for her behavior towards you too wasn’t it,” By asked.

“That was different! I didn’t get almost-’ Ivan’s face twisted in anguish, “You didn’t see her before they administered the antidote.”

 

Hailey waited for them, feeling antsy about this confrontation. She jumped from her seat when she heard the clang of a metal pan hitting some hard surface followed by swearing. She ran into the kitchen to see the two men together. They sprang apart even before they turned to see her.

“Is everything alright,” Hailey asked.

“Hailey, go get your things. We need to go,” Ivan said looking clearly flustered.

By had an odd expression on his face but he looked unharmed. Belatedly he offered her a smile.

“Nothing to see here, go get your things Hailey. You should go home with your da,” By said.

Hailey considered asking more but the both of them colluded to get her out the door.

“You can come back you know. Just make sure you get your da’s permission. And be prepared to bring food,” By told her.

“Like hell she’s getting permission,” Ivan muttered steering her out of the building.

 

They were in the car and driving to Ivan’s flat before Hailey dared to look over at her father.

“Are you angry with me,” she asked.

He glanced over at her and sighed a heavy sigh that seemed to deflate him.

“I don’t like it that you ran away.”

“But I didn’t run away when I went to visit By,” Hailey protested. Then paused, “but I thought about actually running away. I know you have some old camping gear stuffed in the closet. I remember you also saying how easy it was to get lost in the Dendarii mountains and no one would be able to find you.”

Ivan snorted, “first, that was a message of warning! Not a suggestion to go there! Secondly, why would you hide in my cousin’s district?”

“I thought it would be the last place you would look since you would be so dismissive about the idea. I had this plan to leave school in one outfit then go to the metro station and buy a bunch of tickets to a bunch of locations. Then I could change outfits in one of the bathrooms and board a train,” Hailey said.

“Why not a lightflyer service,” Ivan asked.

“Too risky, they would want all of my personal information. The train would be more anonymous, and if I handed out tickets to people then the system would show that all the tickets had been used. So you’d have to follow each lead,” Hailey said.

Ivan shook his head, “you do know that Simon was in charge of Barrayar’s spy network for thirty years don’t you? You really think you’d get away with it?”

Hailey sighed and sat back in the chair, “no. I’m sure he’d probably be waiting at the end of the metro line with a critique for me.”

Ivan managed a smile at this, but only a small one.

“I don’t want to run away. But this whole surveillance thing is a little too much. Can’t we cut it back even a little bit,” Hailey pleaded.

Ivan sighed. He knew that Miles, that hyperactive genius-git had managed to sift through all of the trash in Vorbarra Sultana to find the bottle which had contained the poison that Hailey had been administered. With a little techno-magic Miles had been able to reconstruct the ID tags on the bottle and figure out where it had come from. They had traced it to a Jacksonian group. Miles had parted with a sum of money in exchange for information on who had requested the poison in the first place. It had been traced back to a Komarran terrorist group whose members were now behind bars and had been for some time. The question then was whether there were sleeper cell members who hadn’t been picked up or if something else equally underhanded was going on. Miles was supposedly closer to solving the case but that didn’t mean that innocent bystanders were safe yet.

Ivan chose to switch the topic, “have you been practicing your pitch for Gregor tomorrow?”

“A little bit, I haven’t changed much since last night when you saw it,” Hailey stated chewing her lip.

“Well, maybe we can go over it again, smooth all of that stuff out,” Ivan suggested. That should keep her busy the rest of the night, he thought. Ivan wasn’t crazy about the idea of bringing this Isa guy over to Barrayar but he reasoned that worse came to worse the Uyghurs would still likely settle on Sergyar, far enough away that he couldn’t meddle with Ivan. And by meddle Ivan meant he didn’t want to get shot.

 

The next day came and Ivan found Hailey looking over her slides in the living room. It was pre-dawn.

He murmured a greeting to Hailey as he reached over and tousled her hair before heading to the kitchen.

“Do you think it’s good enough,” She asked anxiously.

“For Gregor? He’s such a humanitarian you could just show him some sad kittens and he would be willing to help,” Ivan said. Not quite true, but he figured this issue would grate against Gregor's moral sensibilities enough to get the man to act. Whether Ivan really wanted to deal with the consequences of that was still up for debate. But he supposed he was going to have to.

“You said Miles was coming too, right?”

“Yeah, but that’ll be alright.”

“Are you sure? Delia said he can be frightening when he’s on a tear, and I don’t think he really likes me,” Hailey noted uneasily.

Ivan waved that comment away, “he’s just being a brat. Besides, Ekaterin likes you and I’m sure she’ll get Miles to pull his head out of his ass in time. Just be patient.”  
Hailey stared at Ivan dubiously.

“Come here and eat breakfast. I don’t want you fainting in front of my liege lord. Questions might arise about my fitness as a parent. Then who knows what could happen, you might end up living with Count Falco,” Ivan teased.

Hailey smiled wanly, “he was nice enough. Except when he’d shake his head and say ‘but you seem so normal, why do you dress like that’?”

 

Hailey had set up her presentation in one of the conference rooms in the Residence and waited with Ivan and Laisa for a little while. Laisa had a meeting of her own shortly but she listened thoughtfully as Hailey gave her a briefing on the extended talk. The empress was very nice and tried to ease Hailey's anxiety. Laisa excused herself as Gregor swung into the room with Miles in tow. Apparently they had been meeting about something else before this, Hailey decided.

“Hello Sire,” Ivan said greeting Gregor.

“Hi Ivan,” Gregor said.

Ivan and Miles then said there good mornings, which consisted of them insulting each other good naturedly.

“Hello Hailey, how are you,” Gregor asked.

Hailey hadn’t seen him since before the party at Vorluften house. She wasn’t sure if he was asking her in regard to that or if he was asking about her more generally.  
“Well I still have all of my fingers and toes. So that’s a positive,” Hailey said.

Gregor smiled politely at this and didn’t press the question. Hailey greeted Miles who responded blandly.

Gregor gave Miles a look but didn’t press the issue. When he sat down everyone followed his cue.

“Hailey, Ivan tells me you have a presentation for me on some potential new Imperial subjects,” Gregor said. He gave a wave of his hand to suggest that she continue.

Hailey had sat through what felt like hundreds of Chel’s presentations over the years. They were for benefit dinners to convince people to donate to a cause. They were before the United Galactic Federations security council to convince them to intervene in planetary disasters and conflicts. They were in front of a general audience to spread awareness. Chel would present and present and present  in front of anyone and everyone who seemed that they would be useful to the cause. So Hailey had a good idea of how Chel would have presented this talk. She copied some of the techniques. Part of what made Chel so effective was a knowledge of basic human psychology. It was known that shouting for help with a number of people nearby could cause the bystander effect, people would be more reticent to help because someone else might come along who was better trained to help at any minute. So no one did anything. A better technique was to single people out, give them a specific job to perform and a sense of accountability. You had to make the person feel responsible for the outcome.

A second technique was to get the audience to identify and empathize with the subjects or the victims who were being discussed. That gave the audience a motivation to help change things. Hailey had requested and received scenes from XinAn’s recent war from both the local Amnesty Chapter, which had just returned there, as well as from the Uyghur partisan groups. She didn’t show the vids of the newest chemical toxins being tested on prisoners. That had been too graphic. Ivan had suggested against making anyone throw up this early in the morning. Chel would have done it to make a point. But Hailey restrained herself and showed other, less visually gruesome examples of suffering.

Another thing Hailey learned from Chel was to give the audience a clear directive on what actions needed to be taken. The audience might want to help, but if they didn’t know how then they weren’t going to do anything. Explain that the people needed money or supplies or in the case of XinAn, the people needed new homes. To end, it was always a good idea to explain how helping these people would benefit the audience. These benefits could be purely psychological or very physical. Hailey had sent a vid to the Vicereine about the situation and her Betan morals had been thoroughly rankled by what was happening on XinAn. She had gladly parted with information on the current GDP for Sergyar as well as what the GDP would be expected to be if they could get some workers. The Vicereine had sent information on where labor shortages were most prevalent as well as information on current immigration rates to Sergyar. Despite their finally developing a vaccine for the worm-plague immigration to the planet from Barrayar was still extremely low.

“An interesting talk, though I’d have done a few things differently. But I wonder about your sources for some of those images. Your files are undoubtedly GIL files aren’t they,” Miles asked.

Hailey nodded uneasily.

“They would have to be if they were tight beamed to you. Of course GIL files can also be easily doctored to show anything and everything you want,” Miles correctly pointed out.

  
“You think people are just making up systematic oppression,” Hailey asked, glancing at Ivan.

“Miles, you’re being paranoid again,” Ivan said.

“Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get me. I’ve worked in ImpSec remember? Paranoia is our middle name. We’re also involved in protecting the Imperium from danger and our paranoia serves us and the Imperium well. I’m just curious about whether this mass exodus to Sergyar could be for reasons other than political asylum. The XinAn government is technically in an alliance with Cetaganda, no matter how tenuous it might be it still exists. Meanwhile your step father has a penchant for wantonly taking out high government officials, doesn’t he? Whose to say he wouldn’t try anything here just to get some kind of deal with the Cetagandans,” Miles asked.

“Well that’s not fair. Isa isn’t violent on his own. It’s just an issue of circumstance, kind of like with Simon. They’re perfectly normal when left to their own devices,” Hailey explained.

Ivan put his head in his hands, “Hailey, maybe that isn’t the best example.”

“Well it’s true, when was the last time Simon shot anyone outside of his time in ImpSec,” Hailey defended.

“He does have other ways of raising concerns,” Gregor muttered. The details of what the emperor was remembering were not expanded upon in front of the group.

“I mean if it makes you feel better I don’t even think they would want to come anyway,” Hailey said glumly.

“I beg your pardon? They’re being murdered in droves and they don’t want to come here? This certainly raises questions,” Miles observed suspiciously.

“Well,” Hailey considered Miles, then sighed then began to explain, “the problem is that you’re all white. I don’t want to point out that there’s going to be racism from both sides on this, but it’s the only way to explain things. XinAn traces its roots back to China and its surrounding areas. It believes that it’s government has been active and unchanged since pre-atomic history. Which is of course propaganda meant to improve morale among its own people. But the XinAn people believe that and so they spend a lot of time looking into history. Part of that is celebrating victories and advancements and part of that is looking into and brooding over defeats and injustices. Particularly they think that one of their main problems started when white men first came to visit China in the late pre-atomic era. Now there’s a particular term for white people which is very negative, it’s ‘baigui’ which literally means white ghost or white demon. This is a name that goes back to Chinese ghost stories in which the ghosts are all pale white figures that can cause great harm to the living. When white Europeans came over to trade there were plenty of native Chinese who were afraid to even look at them much less talk to them because they thought they were ghosts.”

“You think they won’t visit because they’re afraid of ghosts,” Miles interrupted skeptically.

“No, people then realized that white Europeans weren’t ghosts. They were flesh and blood. But the name stuck around. During this time the Europeans, particularly the English were making money trading with China. Except China at the time was ambivalent to trade and particularly to the trade of opium. When the government decided to eradicate the evil of opium and tried to shut down opium import the European whites attacked and the Chinese lost. Now there were a lot of issues but I want to emphasize this idea that the Chinese nation and its protectorates felt victimized by these white governments that sought to keep the Chinese weak and subdued so the whites could take what they wanted whenever they wanted. For that reason the Qing dynasty and the whole fiasco around it which is blamed on the white foreigners is considered a low point in history for them. So the term ‘bai gui’ is used but it’s not about being afraid of white people because they’re ghosts, it’s about being afraid or hating white people because they’re untrustworthy, short sighted and cruel. Behind the term ‘baigui’ is this idea that any situation can be made better as long as you don’t try to invite a white foreigner in to help. If you watch a XinAn vid these days if there is a white man in the movie he’s either the villain or a clueless idiot. So even if I tried to convince my stepfather or his elders to come live here I don’t think they would want to,” Hailey said slumping into a chair.

Miles looked downright indignant at what Hailey had just said. Ivan watched Miles in interest, knowing how much he hated being rejected.

Gregor drummed his fingers on the table and sat back, “that does pose an interesting problem. Miles, any comments on the matter?”

“I have never been one to turn down a challenge,” Miles noted.

Gregor raised an eyebrow, “I wasn’t suggesting you handle this yourself. You do have a criminal case I would like you to solve first. I was merely asking if you had further criticisms you wished to air.”

“Well, I don’t see what’s wrong with a little multi-tasking. Besides, I’m sure Ekaterin would be up to the challenge of hosting any Uyghur delegation that Hailey can drum up. It’ll be good for her since as Lady Vorkosigan she should get used to handling the social scene. I think she’s ready for it too, she just needs a little encouragement. As for the case, I'm sure I'll have another break through at any moment,” Miles stated.

“I didn’t even agree to let a Uyghur delegation come yet,” Gregor pointed out.

“Well, aren’t you going to,” Miles asked, surprised.

Gregor glanced between Ivan and Hailey, a ghost of a smile spread across his lips, “I suppose I shall. Let’s see what happens.”

“Excellent, well I have a case to solve. I must be going,” Miles declared getting up and walking out.

Down the hall they could hear him talking.

“Who do they think they are, suggesting that Barrayarans are incompetent. Baigui indeed,” Miles said to no one in particular.

Hailey moved to pack up her presentation.

“Hailey, may I ask how much of that end speech was prepared beforehand,” Gregor asked lightly.

Hailey looked to Ivan, then back to Gregor, “was it very obvious? I was going to add a lamentation about those poor widows and orphans on XinAn. But I thought that might have been too obvious.”

“I do hope you’ve warned Lady Vorkosigan about her sudden added duties. She might not appreciate them,” Gregor noted.

“Ivan called her last night to make sure it would be alright,” Hailey said.

Gregor turned his gaze to Ivan who abruptly looked down to study his boots, “it was nothing really.”

“Ivan, I never knew you to be such a talented people wrangler,” Gregor noted.

“Not people, I’m definitely not good at anything except my current job. I just happen to know Miles well enough to know his triggers. Really it doesn’t translate into other areas,” Ivan argued hastily.

Gregor looked amused but didn’t continue to bait Ivan.

“Well, I must be on to my next meeting. Thank you both for coming, this has been very interesting,” Gregor stated standing. It was a sign that they should all stand and vacate the premises.

“Hailey,” Gregor called stopping the girl before she scampered out after Ivan, “it’s nice that you’re growing.”

“Oh, well thank you for seeing us,” Hailey said reflexively.

Gregor made no further statement and Hailey followed Ivan out.


	9. Memory lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hailey remembers a few episodes from her life on XinAn with her stepfather Isa
> 
> Warning: there is all of the angst right here. Also my usage of specific minorities is for fanfiction purposes only. This is not an accurate depiction of any current government/organization/ethnic group

Isa had been there from the beginning of their stay on XinAn until the end of it. They had arrived at his house their first day there. The place was small for a house since it had two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, the garage and a cellar. Originally Isa had offered to house them for the resistance since foreigners were sharply watched if they stayed in hotels and they weren't allowed to rent apartments without special government approval.

“Chel Mujica,” he asked when they arrived and he opened his door to them. 

Isa was not a large man, but he’d towered over Hailey then. Everyone did. He stepped out unto the walkway and shook Chel’s hand before turning to Hailey.

“It’s so nice to meet you. I’m glad that you’ve taken an interest in our cause,” Isa said, only then looking down at Hailey.  
“And who is this?” Isa had kneeled down to be eye level with her but Hailey had already ducked behind Chel. 

“My daughter. Please excuse her behavior, the jump ship ride has made her unusually bratty. I would appreciate it if we moved this conversation into the house as my daughter and I are very tired,” Chel declared.

Isa’s eyes had widened briefly, “of, course. Here, let me help you bring your things in. Urs had wished to have a welcoming party for you tonight but I thought you might be tired. So I just cooked something for the three of us.” 

Isa had helped them carry their paltry things into his guest bedroom before ushering them into his kitchen which served as a dining room as well. Isa had served food and they had begun to talk current events and politics. Isa had spoken about his actual job, he was a male nurse at a county hospital. He spoke of how after his eldest sister had been arrested and executed for ‘sedition’ he had become involved in the rights of minority’s. Chel had liked that part best. Hailey knew because her mother looked at Isa, actually looked at him rather than over him or through him as she often did. It was a very particular expression she wore that Hailey had trouble explaining. It closed off when Isa started asking about Hailey.

“You know we have several elementary schools in the area if you’d like to enroll your daughter,” Isa had suggested.

“Mm,” Chel had murmured non-commitally. She was always complaining about how she was busy and didn’t have time to be messing around fixing things for Hailey. When are you going to learn to do it yourself, was a common refrain from Chel. 

“What’s your favorite subject in school,” Isa asked her.

Hailey looked down at her food, most of it was still there. She thought it was weird and disgusting and she didn’t want any of it. She wanted to go home, but knew that no such place existed the way it did on vids and in stories. A silence dragged.

“My younger sister teaches middle school but one of her husbands is an elementary school teacher,” Isa continued conversationally. 

Hailey wondered how long this would go on for before she went back to being invisible.

“Perhaps you have other hobbies you enjoy,” Isa asked.

“If you are going to misbehave and not eat your dinner then you can go to bed without it,” Chel had stated in English for all to hear.

Isa’s brows had gone up, “I didn’t mean to cause trouble,” he began.

“No, it’s not you, it’s her. She is always doing this. You need to grow up and stop being such a little bitch, do you hear me,” Chel asked.

Hailey got up and walked out, Chel had a rule about not crying in public. Hailey could feel the tears starting to come.

“Oh, good just walk away from any confrontation, like a coward,” Chel called after her. 

Hailey vaguely heard Isa’s soft spoken comments but she shut those out when she closed the door. Chel returned to their shared room later. Hailey pretended to be asleep, not that it would matter if Chel insisted on chastising her. But the woman didn’t, she read for a time on the other half of their double bed. Then Chel got up and left the room. Hailey heard another door in the house open, soft voices whispered back and forth for a short time, then the door closed. Then silence. Chel did not come back to the room she shared with her daughter that night.

It was the next morning when Isa came out to find Hailey reading in the living room.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?”

Hailey didn’t look up at him, she hunched over her reader.

“I was going to make breakfast, would you like anything?”

Why wouldn’t Isa just leave her alone, she wondered. It didn’t matter, he would give up soon anyway. She could go back to being the invisible third wheel. 

“I guess it’s really hard to move around with your mother isn’t it. Maybe you’re a little homesick. Is there anything I can do to help,” Isa asked.

Chel walked in, sighed in disgust and ripped the reader out of Hailey’s hands. Hailey flinched and threw her hands up protectively over her face.

“Talk to him,” she shouted in her daughter’s face before turning around and heading into the kitchen.

Isa’s eyebrows went up, “you didn’t have to do that.”

Chel snorted, “Isa, when you have children you can raise them however you want. But Hailey is mine and I will raise her as I see fit.”

Isa turned back to Hailey and knelt down again so they were eye level, “you know it’s going to get better. I promise.”

Hailey stared at him, “are you stupid? You say you’ve heard so much about my mother, do you know what happens to her collaborators? Fine, she’s credited with opening up Giansu but our host family there was stripped naked and torn to pieces by dogs. It was their punishment for disobeying the regime. The rebels that were hiding us in Djao-Wu were butchered along with their family’s for their role in helping us. Do I need to go on or do you understand? There’s no point in us trying to get to know each other when you and everyone you love is going to die, because of us.”

Isa stared open mouthed. Chel walked swiftly back from her position cutting vegetables and slapped her daughter across the face.

“Why would you say that to him, what is wrong with you,” Chel demanded, shaking Hailey. 

“Enough,” Isa roared. 

Chel paused and looked over at him, as did Hailey. Neither said it, but images of Kevin’s anger came to mind for both of them.

“I… wanted Hailey to be able to talk to me and she has. She shared her thoughts with me and it was very educational. Thank you, Hailey. But your mother and I need to talk for a moment, could you go play in the guest room for a little while,” Isa asked.

Isa got Hailey’s reader back for her and then sent her to her room. The door clicked shut on her room before she heard the muffled low tones of Isa speaking to Chel. 

It was later that day after Isa had chauffeured Chel to some other meeting that he pulled Hailey aside.

“I know you know that I spoke to your mother this morning. I understand why your mother was upset when she hit you but we spoke and I told her not to do it again. She is your parent and has certain ideas of what that entails. But I don’t like violence and I’m not going to have it in my home. If she hits you again, I would like you to tell me,” Isa stated.

Hailey nodded.

“Good. I have several nieces and nephews and thought you might like to play with some children your own age for a little while. So I’m going to take you over to my older sister’s house now. Even if our time is short together I would like it to be positive,” he said.

 

Hailey was hiding up in the tree house that Isa had built her a few months ago. 

“Hailey,” Isa called from the drive way. He had just pulled up to the house in his car and had climbed out.

Hailey scrunched up tighter wondering if she should have run away again. But Isa had asked her to stop doing that after the sixth time and had made her promise to at least talk to him first. 

Isa walked into the house, presumably to look for her and spent several minutes inside. He came back out, muttering to himself and headed for the tree house.

“Hailey please come out, I would like to talk to you,” he called.

Hailey heard his booted feet come in contact with the first wooden rung at the bottom of the tree. 

“No! You can’t come up,” Hailey shouted peering over the side.

Kevin would have easily climbed and thrashed her despite her protests. No, that wasn’t fair to Isa. Kevin would never have had the patience or interest in constructing a treehouse for her to hide in in the first place. 

Isa backed off and climbed back down to the ground.

“Hailey, did you throw a snake at the assistant principal in the boys’ bathroom today?”

“It was an accident,” she explained miserably.

“I… cannot imagine how this could come about by accident. Were snakes falling from the ceiling while you were passing by the bathroom?”

“No.”

“Then how was it an accident?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Do you want to talk about it with your mother,” Isa asked.

“No! I don’t want to talk about it with anyone! I want to run away and live in the woods with the rest of the animals where I belong!”

Isa’s eyebrows went up, “I think there’s a story behind this that we should discuss.”

“No!”

“Well if you won’t discuss it with me while I’m on the ground I’m going to have to come up. You can’t just be throwing snakes at people anymore. It’s rude. Also, think about the poor snake, your just picking it up, taking it out of its natural environment and hurling it at people. Snakes do not like that. It was probably very traumatizing for the poor animal,” Isa observed climbing up the tree house.

“Well I won’t do it again,” Hailey pleaded as Isa reached the top and swung himself up into the tree house. 

“Hey, relax. Have I hit you before? No. Am I going to hit you now? Of course not. Just come sit with me and tell me what happened,” Isa said patting the floor next to him.  
Hailey was at the far end of the tree house. The ceiling was low enough that Isa couldn’t stand upright in it, but Hailey could. She was still small enough for that.  
“Or you can stand there. That’s fine too if you’d like. But what happened, were you having trouble with someone at school,” Isa asked.

“It’s very embarrassing,” Hailey said miserably.

“I doubt that very much,” Isa said.

“Well you don’t know anything about it so how could you tell?”

“Well were you ever in such a rush to get into the operating suite for a patient that you forgot your pants? I’ve done that before,” Isa stated.

“No… I asked a boy to marry me,” Hailey said.

Isa made a wheezing sound, “I see, well, you just turned eleven. I think you’re a little young for marriage.”

“But I thought it was different because he has nice hair and he’s really good at math,” Hailey complained.

“I- you know I guess I can see how those traits would be important to a girl. Ok, so I suppose it didn’t go very well,” Isa said.

Hailey burst into tears, “he laughed and said I was too pale and ugly for him, like an albino monkey and I should go back and join my monkey troop.”

Isa sighed and managed to maneuver over to Hailey, pick her up and set her in his lap.

“Well, obviously that is a completely inaccurate statement for him to make and frankly you’re much better off without him.”

Hailey responded something but her face was pressed into his shoulder.

“what was that,” Isa asked.

“I said I don’t think he was lying. He asks really smart questions in science class,” Hailey explained.

“Ok, well I already passed the seventh grade so let’s assume that I’m smarter than this boy alright? I’m telling you, based on my years of schooling and worldly experience, that you are absolutely adorable,” Isa declared, “it’s a fact.”

“I don’t think it’s a fact. I think you have to say nice things to me because you’re my step-father,” Hailey accused. She knew it wasn’t true though, Kevin had never worried about saying nice things to her.

“That is ridiculous! I have already told you it’s a fact so it must be true,” Isa reasoned.

“Just because you say that something is a fact doesn’t mean it’s true,” Hailey protested, “I could say it’s raining fish. That’s a fac-“

Isa covered her mouth with his hand, “sh, don’t say that too loudly or it might become true.”

Isa peered around at the clouds for a moment, as if checking to make sure no aquatic animals were hurling towards the planet.

“Phew, that was a close one,” he teased, taking his hand away from her mouth.

Hailey rolled her eyes and sighed in a put upon pre-adolescent fashion, “you are ridiculous.”

“Just a little, but continue your tale. How did the snake get involved,” Isa prompted.

“Because BuNan, the boy who was mean to me, is afraid of snakes. So I found one in the back gardens and chased him through the school with it. He did a lot of screaming,” Hailey declared with a smirk, “then he tried to hide in the boys’ bathroom. I paused before following him in and I was almost upon him when the assistant principal stepped out and I… got excited and threw the snake. Then there was a lot more screaming.”

“Huh, well I guess in that sense it was an accident. But you really shouldn’t chase boys with snakes anymore, even if they are mean to you. Alright?”

“OK.”

“Good now, do you know what type of snake you were running around with? Because when I went to the school they made me catch one that was slithering around the building. I want to make sure it was the right one. It’s inside,” Isa said.

Hailey followed Isa back into the house. In a pet carrier was a red and white corn snake, brought over with the Firsters who were looking to deal with the local ecosystems giant rodent problem. The snakes of course had gotten loose and taken over in the warmer areas of the planet. 

“That does look like it,” Hailey acknowledged.

“Hm, well what do you think of her. Do you think you’d want a snake as a pet,” Isa asked.

“It is kind of cute. Do you think that would be alright?”

Isa shrugged, “I can’t see why not. Corn snakes are docile and good natured, and non-poisonous which is also a plus. I think we could take care of it together and you could work on being nice to animals. Really I think the snake got the raw end of this entire interaction and you needed to be nicer to it.”

“I’ll try.”

Isa nodded, “good. Did you want to take it out and I’ll show you how to properly hold it?”

 

Three years, a little more than that really. But they’d lived with Isa for three years and now with the UGF pulling out and Amnesty recalling its workers they were leaving. Hailey had originally said that she wouldn’t mind staying. Then she realized that Chel was seriously considering leaving and Hailey loudly stated that she wanted to stay. She had demanded the right to stay. Not that anyone listened to her.

“You can’t do this,” Hailey shouted opening one of the boxes Isa had just taped shut. It was a futile effort, they would pack up everything tonight anyway and ship her and her mother off. She was aware that she was being a nuisance, that she really ought not be acting this way. That she ought to be helpful. She was also acutely aware that Isa was probably going to die during this upcoming uprising which was likely to blossom into a full on civil war.

“Hailey please, this is hard enough for everyone and your mother is sleeping,” Isa said.

“My mother isn’t sleeping, my mother is passed out drunk. There is a difference. Things got hard and her response was to reach for the alcohol like some fucking wino,” Hailey shouted.

Isa caught her arm and pulled her over to him, “I do not approve of your language and I do not approve of your talking about your mother that way. People handle grief in different ways. I am sure that in her own fashion she feels the same things you do just as deeply. It’s not acceptable to belittle someone else’s pain. Do you understand?”  
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be difficult. But I don’t want to leave you and I thought, maybe, that you didn’t want us to leave either. I just want us to be together,” Hailey said, tears pricking at her eyes.

Isa pulled her into a hug, “of course I don’t want you to go.”

“Then why are you forcing us out? I thought, I thought I was getting better. I haven’t been fighting at school or setting anything on fire and-and I know I’m probably not much of a soldier but I could do other things. I could be useful, I promise,” Hailey insisted.

But Isa was shaking his head.

Hailey pulled away, “well I don’t know what you want from me! What do I have to do to be good enough to stay? Your family isn’t sending any of their children away even though Rahila has a scholarship to go to Beta Colony. So what’s wrong with me that you don’t want me to stay too? Am I so defective that you couldn’t find any use for me?”

Isa sighed, “What Rahila is doing is between herself, my older brother and his wife. If she were mine I would send her away for this. Hailey there’s nothing wrong with you. This isn’t a question of you not being good enough. I love you and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Do you understand that?”

“No. No I don’t understand that. If you loved me and didn’t want anything bad to happen to me then why are you sending me away with my mother? You know what will happen once you’re not there to intervene. I don’t want to go back to that. I can’t do it,” Hailey declared.

“Hailey, I know it will be hard. I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more. But it won’t be like before. You are better now, and you’ve grown so much. I can’t promise it will be easy, but you are going to be alright at the end of this.”

“You don’t know that! You don’t even know what’s going to happen to yourself or anyone else. I just- if we’re leaving couldn’t you leave with us too...please?”

Isa looked anguished, “I pledged myself to this cause. I promised I would stand by it and I have to hold to that, especially in times of crisis. But we will meet again.”

“Is this your religion talking again? You know I don’t believe in your god. And if he does exist, he will have to beg for my forgiveness for this,” Hailey hissed.

“Hush, that’s the fear and anger talking, not you. Come here and give me a proper good bye. They have your things packed up and your mother in the ground car.”

Hailey considered being disobedient and walking away as a final snub. She could just turn around and walk out and act as if it didn’t matter to her. Except it mattered very much so she walked back into his arms and squeezed him tightly.

“Hailey, I do care about you and so I want you to be happy and healthy and safe. You need to promise to take good care of yourself while I’m gone,” Isa said.

Hailey pressed her face into his chest and offered a muffled “I promise. You have to look after Captain Wiggles because you know I can’t bring her with us. Chel might hurt her.”

“I will do my best to look after your pet snake,” Isa promised solemnly.

Isa walked her out to the car and deposited her in the backseat next to Chel. Isa went around to the other side and roused Chel for a final kiss and some soft words. The ground car with two of Isa’s men in it drove off to the shuttle port. 

 

It hadn’t been so long ago, about a year and a half since Hailey had seen him. But Isa was coming to Barrayar soon, she reflected as she lay in her bed in Ivan’s flat. Hailey fell asleep with this thought and for once her dreams didn’t haunt her.


	10. Family reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan gets to meet Isa Kadeer

“You know we could just let Gregor’s man meet them at the shuttle port and get them to their hotel. We don’t have to meet them now. You could see them at the party at Miles’s house tonight,” Ivan was saying.

Hailey wasn’t entirely clear what he was so nervous about. They were just going to pick a few people up at the shuttle port and escort their rental van to a hotel. It wasn’t like Ivan was officially being placed in charge of this foreign delegation. Nor was it expected that Isa or the others would whip out a nerve disruptor and shoot him. Probably. Hailey was pretty sure she’d been clear in her last letter about how inaccurate her mother had been when describing Ivan. Hopefully. 

“I mean, maybe your still feeling the ill effects after the incident,” Ivan said.

“The incident” of course referred to Rachel Vorluften’s party and the murder attempt. Hailey wasn’t sure if Ivan was actually convinced that she would have long term side effects from the poison or if he was just panicking. 

Near death incidents shouldn’t be discussed at the breakfast table, Hailey decided grouchily. 

She shot out her hand to grab unto Ivan and turned to him with a panicked look, “Oh no! I think I’ve forgotten all of my French lessons!”

Ivan for a brief second looked equally panicked, then his face took on that peeved look he wore so easily.

“You didn’t know French to begin with. That is not funny,” he declared.

Hailey shrugged, “I dunno, I thought it was a little bit funny.”

“I could sign you up for French lessons,” he threatened.

Hailey snorted in disgust, “ugh, muddling through one language is hard enough.”

“French is one of Barrayar’s four official languages, who knows, it might come in handy,” Ivan said.

“Is this because you don’t support my engineering hobbies,” Hailey asked.

“I’m just saying that next time you should ask me before stealing the fan blades from the portable fans to attach to your killer robots,” Ivan groused.

“Um, I didn’t steal them I commandeered them. And it was for a school project. Didn’t you tell me to be studious? Am I not being studious by working on my school project? So in reality I was only doing what you told me to do,” Hailey pointed out.

Ivan gave her a particular look as he munched on his groats.

“Anyway, we have to go soon, they should be landing in an hour,” Hailey said looking at her chrono. 

Ivan got up slowly, “I suppose. But maybe they’ll be hungry. So we should get them some pastries at that bakery, you know the one you like? Maybe we should do that first.”

“Isn’t it clear across town? Come on Ivan, this is no time to procrastinate. Get in the car and drive. Or I could drive,” She offered pushing him towards the door.

“We could have a driving lesson… or, oh no,” Ivan declared dramatically leaning back against her as she tried to move him.

“Ivan!”

“It’s not me, ugh, I can feel it! It’s the centripetal force of the planet! It’s pulling me down to the epicenter,” Ivan complained. 

“Ivan that is not how that works,” Hailey declared.

“Are you sure,” he teased, “it happened to me last week.”  
“Ivan! Get in the car or I’m selling you to gypsies,” Hailey threatened.

“Ok, ok,” Ivan sighed allowing himself to be led to the door.

 

It didn’t take them an hour to get to the shuttleport thanks to Ivan’s driving. They walked through towards the arrival area until they found a small group of men in army greens with a simple sign that read “XinAn delegation”. Waiting was difficult as the plasma boards which displayed the time until the next shuttle kept showing delays. There had been some technical malfunction with one shuttle that day and it had to be taken out of circulation for repairs. So things were slow.

Finally the next shuttle arrived and people filed out. It was a sea of mostly white faces, Barrayarans coming back from trips abroad no doubt. Interspersed were individuals of different ethnic backgrounds and phenotypes who filed out from the shuttle and unto Barrayaran soil. 

She thought she saw Isa a few times, and then there among the crowd was a group of them. 

“Isa,” Haikey called.

A face snapped around to look at her and he said something to one of the men next to him before they started making their way over to her.

Hailey set off before Ivan could say otherwise, weaving her own way through the crowd to him. 

“You’re alive,” she cried running into him and wrapping her arms around his torso. Isa hugged her back.

“Well of course I am,” Isa snorted, “I told you so. And look, I brought friends.”

Hailey looked around to spot Isa’s younger sister Mahjabeen, one of her husbands, and Bang-Bang along with a contingent of other individuals she knew only marginally as senior members of the unofficial Uyghur nation.

“Bang-Bang,” Hailey called letting go of Isa to hug her step-cousin.

“Let’s get in trouble,” Bang-Bang/Athier crowed enthusiastically as he hugged Hailey back.

Isa sighed and closed his eyes, “you know I just got Athier to stop calling himself that.”

“I told you no intergalactic incidents,” Mahjabeen, called Maya for short, declared sternly. Hailey noticed then that the woman was holding a little girl. It was her youngest daughter Shafia. 

“Yes, yes auntie,” Hailey agreed moving to hug her step- aunt and then her step-uncle who only wrapped his one good arm around her. 

“Are the others not coming,” Hailey asked Isa.

One side of Maya’s lips went up, “I’m afraid the other passengers here are listed as our family. It was the only way to get visas off of the planet for all of them. Technically we're here as part of a family visit to see you”

“But are they alright,” Hailey asked anxiously. Maya always looked stern, so her expression now didn't ell Hailey anything. At least she didn’t carry herself with the burden of a woman who had lost one husband and her five older children. Surely they were alright.

Isa and Maya exchanged looks. 

“I do apologize for this inconvenience, but perhaps this discussion should be saved for a more private setting,” Abirim Muzzalan, one of the elder’s suggested politely.  
Isa glanced at the others and nodded slightly.

“Yes, we have much to catch up on. But away from prying eyes,” Isa breathed.

“So which one of those white boys is your father,” Bang-Bang asked glancing over at the four men in Imperial dress greens.

“Oh, yeah come meet Ivan,” Hailey said then stopped Isa.

“But you have to be nice to him,” Hailey instructed him firmly.

“Am I ever rude,” Isa asked.

Hailey gave him a look, “Ok, well someone might have told you a lot of stuff about him that wasn’t true… so just keep that in mind.”

Isa raised an eyebrow at Hailey’s failure to mention her mother’s name but didn’t question it at this point. He would doubtless talk to her about that later, she decided. She turned back to lead them over. She reflected briefly on the Barrayaran male phenotype and decided that if she tried to verbally differentiate her father in his imperial dress greens from the other men waiting with him she wasn’t sure she could. It was more about the way he spoke and moved that separated him so easily. His stance perhaps… well perhaps not she decided, he looked very tense today and not his usual self.

Ivan looked stuffed as she led the group over and Hailey felt guilty for putting him through all of this. He’d been really good and hadn’t complained at all about helping her with all of this. Well ok he'd complained a little bit but he had still helped. 

“Isa, this is my biological father Lord Ivan Vorpatril. This is Captain Velmar of Imperial Security and his men. They will be acting as escorts for your stay here,” Hailey explained nodding to the three ImpSec men in uniform.

“More minders? I thought we were trying to get away from that,” Zaaira Muldefenel, another Uygher elder muttered. One of the others gave her a stern look.  
“Da, this is my step-father Isa Kadeer, his sister Majhabeen Mustafa, his sister’s husband Kadeem Mustafa, their daughter Shafiya, my step cousin Athier Kadeer,” Hailey introduced, she also mentioned the seven elders also present.

Ivan was gracious and didn’t even bat an eyelash when he shook Kadeem’s metal hand. Hailey was impressed considering how sinister her aunt’s husband looked, at least until he smiled. It was in watching Isa Kadeer and Ivan shake hands that she realized her Isa was missing the knuckle and pinkie of his right hand. Well when did this happen? Hailey glanced back at her other family members – correction, step-family members, trying to see if anything had happened to them.

“Mama, their noses are so big, how come they don’t fall over,” Shafia whispered loudly in Mandarin.

Maya frowned at her daughter, still held in her arms.

“You can’t ask those questions, it’s very rude,” Maya admonished her little girl. 

Shafiya frowned, “I didn’t try to be mean!”

The little girl moped against her mother’s shoulder, pressing her little nose into the woman’s neck.

Maya just sighed. She looked tired and frayed. Hailey doubted that it was just the jump-lag. 

Ivan admirably got the group moving and headed out to the rental van and driver. 

“Are we not going to discuss the fact that these guards have weapons while we don’t. I don’t need to remind anyone how easily we could end up dead,” Abirim stated shrewdly.  
Some of the others looked nervous at this mention. A series of government supported minority massacres under XinAn’s infamous Gang of Four, a name for the central government’s leaders of the time had begun with government bans on minorities owning weapons. This had been only a few years before Chel and Hailey landed on planet. As a result many households besides the Uyghur’s kept illegal firearms hidden inside including the Nepalese and the Laotians. It was unsurprising that the Barrayarran ban on civilians aside from the vor and their armsmen from owning weapons did not sit well with the elders. 

“They have nothing to gain from murdering us now,” Maya stated coolly. Her husband raised an eyebrow at this.

“Maya! That’s no way to talk in front of the little one,” Kadeem put in.

“What’s the problem,” Ivan whispered to Hailey. The group was speaking in Mandarin. A language Ivan and his group didn’t understand.

“They’re worried about not having firearms of their own,” Hailey explained.

“Well we have plenty of guards to protect them. They shouldn’t be worried about that,” Ivan stated.

“No Ivan, they’re worried they don’t have firearms in case your people try anything,” Hailey whispered back.

Ivan frowned at this.

“The least they could do is give us those old fashioned guns with just a bullet inside. 

At least then we’d be able to kill ourselves rather than wait for these bastards to torture us first,” one elder put in sarcastically. 

“I suppose we could get them temporary stunners,” Ivan said more loudly.

“Psh, what do we need a stunner for? I want something with firepower,” one of the elder women, Nadija cried.

“Hey, I’m an officer and even I don’t get to just bandy about a nerve disruptor or plasma arc without proper authorization. Besides, my uncle once told me about a fellow who was killed by a stunner,” Ivan put in.

“Was it an old fellow with a heart condition,” One elder male put in, querulously. 

“Well no, it was a young fellow. Apparently they stunned him and then kicked him to – you know maybe this isn’t the best story to be telling right now. Do you want the stunners or not? Or do you want to just get back on the space ship and go home? That can be arranged to,“ Ivan stated in exasperation.

There was a ten minute debate where Isa finally placated the others. He turned back to face Ivan.

“We would of course still like to speak with your emperor. Please excuse our behavior. The jump-ship ride has us much – much,” Isa seemed to grasp for a word.

“Frazzled? Drained? Exhausted? Enervated? Debilitated,” Hailey suggested.

“Frazzled,” Isa stated giving Hailey a slight smile. He continued, “we would much appreciate any procurement of weapons, though we do not of course expect to use them.”

Ivan nodded slightly, “it might take a little while with the paperwork but I should be able to get those for you shortly. No if you’ll please, can we had to the van and on to the hotel now? I’m sure you’d all like to rest up before the dinner at Lord Vorkosigan’s home tonight.”

“Will there be running water there, or should we buy it now,” one elder asked.

Ivan’s eyebrows went up, “well of course there’s running water. It’s filtered too so it’s safe to drink. There’s even hot water for the bathrooms.”

This got people excited and moving.

“If I’d thought it would be that easy I would have offered them the hot water before offering them the stunners,” Ivan muttered. No one said he was a diplomat.

The elders insisted on Isa riding in the van with them since he was known as Xianren, an old Daosit term for an immortal person. Not that any of them were really daoists, but the term had lost its religious overtones throughout the centuries. Kadeem, perhaps because he was embarrassed by his poor English, also chose to ride with the elders. But Maya, Shafiya and Athier accepted a ride in Lord Vorpatril’s car. Shafiya seemed content to curl up in her mother's lap and nap.

The others started up a conversation about old times.

“I can’t remember, was it after the floating fire ants episode or the enraged bees that Isa sent you to that class on non-violent communication,” Maya said reminiscing.  
“Should I ask about these incidents,” Ivan wondered aloud worriedly. 

“I… used to have some anger management issues which I’ve worked through. I think the important thing is that I haven’t covered anyone in honey and fire ants recently. Plus I learned a lot about Sister Matilda,” Hailey said.

“Best nun ever,” Athier declared, grinning.

Ivan glanced at Maya for further explanation.

“The two of them were having problems in school with making friends so Isa suggested that they both take a class on solving problems non-violently. The class was taught by a Buddhist nun named Sister Matilda who turned out to be an ex- Kaitseliit officer from the Eesi military,” Maya explained shaking her head. She was obviously remembering some long off incident but didn’t share.

“Yeah she was this bad ass nun who used to ride in on a motorcycle. She’d’ stop class sometimes to tell us about her life in the military in this thick east European accent. It was like ‘I vent to highschool to be cellist. But zen Fortnight var starts so I drafted into military. zey give me gun, put me in tree, I shoot several man, zen they give me medal. I say vat do I do vith zis medal? Vhy not give me vheat or flour or something useful? Ridiculous! But I am so good that after var ends they make me stay. That is vhat happens in communist planet! zey take you avay from family and force you do zings zat you are good at!” Athier said mimicking a thick Eastern European accent.

“She could field strip a plasma cannon in under a minute,” Hailey put in with a smile.

“What was she doing teaching a class in non-violence on XinAn,” Ivan asked.

“She said that she killed a powerful a powerful crime boss and that she had to go into hiding so she joined a nunnery,” Hailey explained nonchalantly.

Athier started laughing, “do you remember that day she almost killed Momo?”

Hailey smiled, “Athier’s oldest brother had come to pick us up after class one day. Except sister Matilda didn’t realize that we were related. He pulled up in his truck and yelled out ‘hey little girl, you want some candy’, jokingly of course. So I got in and Sister Matilda just walked over and yanked him out of the cab of his truck and pressed him up against the wall and she’s shouting ‘zis is not appropriate behavior! You do not lure my children into your car! You go home, read a good book and consider proper actions. So help me, I’ve killed men than you.’ Now Momo is frozen in fear and we’re cracking up and Sister Matilda looks ready to go on the war path.”

“Oh, don’t look so concerned, we explained everything to her and it was fine. Sort of, I mean Momo was a lot quieter after that, at least when picking us up after class,” Athier said.  
There was a brief silence and the smile slid off Athier’s face and he turned away from them, ostensibly to look out the window. That didn’t seem a good sign, Hailey thought uneasily. 

“So what happened to this… erm, woman? Is she still on XinAn, educating youngsters and all that,” Ivan asked. Perhaps he was worried that she would also be coming to live on Sergyar or Barrayar if the meeting between Gregor and the elders went well. 

“Oh, she quit being a nun and ran of with this Betan Herm who was working for an NGO on planet. They went back to live on Beta Colony. She did say we could come visit her though. Actually what she said was ‘yes, you come visit me. No, not all at once, house will be small. You must call ahead so ve can make room.’” Hailey explained.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Ivan said relaxing a little.

They pulled up into the hotel’s parking lot and everyone got out.

Ivna managed to help them find their rooms and set up logistics for the night.

“Do you mind if Hailey stays with us until the party tonight. We haven’t seen her in so long,” Isa asked.

“Unless you need her,” Maya asked, studying Ivan. The phrase was odd and reminded Hailey of something Maya had once said to Chel.

“erm, no. I mean I have her dress clothes at home. But I suppose I could pick her up a little later if she wanted to stay,” Ivan said looking Maya over uneasily.

“If you don’t mind, that would be great Ivan,” Hailey said.

“Oh… yeah. No, no problem. Just call if you need anything honey,” Ivan said giving her a quick squeeze before departing.


	11. The Vorkosigan dinner party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone gets to gossiping.

Hailey considered her step-family and the others. In some ways she’d forgotten how they looked. Their phenotypes ranged from very dark with epicanthal folds to as pale as Ivan with lighter eyes than him. Some of them would have an easy time ‘passing’ for Barrayaran provided they got good at Russian while others would always stand out.

Having seen Isa standing next to Ivan had been especially odd. Her step father was smaller than Ivan by a few inches and slighter. His skin just a hint darker but the hair and eyes were almost interchangeable. Isa’s stance was different though, like a fighter waiting for his next bout while Ivan’s was less combative. It wasn’t that Ivan was complacent or that he had nothing to prove while Isa did. They just had different requirements being placed on them and different methods for problem solving. Ivan liked working within the system, in having clear orders and someone in charge. While Isa, for obvious reasons, was mistrustful of the central government and had no problem with taking command when he thought it was necessary. Perhaps this willingness to take command was a question of self-esteem, Hailey thought. She didn’t think it was laziness which kept Ivan in his position, though it was what some others seemed to believe. Perhaps he was afraid of getting people killed. That wouldn’t be surprising, especially if people had been calling you an idiot your entire life.

“So what did you think of Lord Ivan Vorpatril,” Isa asked Maya. The question snapped Hailey out of her reverie. She watched Maya let Shafiya down to walk around the large room.  
Let no one say the emperor was stingy. He’d rented out several suites for the delegation in one of Vorbarra Sultana’s finest hotels.

Maya shrugged and glanced down at Hailey. Whatever her current opinions of Ivan were they probably weren’t good.

“He doesn’t seem to be a raging narcissist,” Maya admitted.

“Well that’s a vote of confidence,” Hailey said.

“So what do you think? Is he nice to you,” Isa asked brushing a paternal hand through Hailey’s hair.

“Yes, he’s very nice,” Hailey stated.

“I dunno, he seemed kind of stuffed,” Athier said throwing himself down on the couch.

Isa sighed, “Athier, be nice to the furniture. It’s not yours. Take your shoes off at least.”

Athier rolled his eyes but did as commanded.

“Are we going to get any more bathrooms? Elder Qadi and Elder Roshan locked themselves in the bathrooms and won’t come out. If they’re enjoying all of the hot water I’m going to be very angry,” athir declared.

Maya shook her head, “it’s probably just as bad on the women’s side. I’m sure they have some guest bathrooms downstairs by the entrance if you’re desperate.”  
“Or I could just go in the street,” Athier suggested.

“That’s how you get arrested for indecent exposure. I told you, no intergalactic incidents,” Isa instructed, partly joking.

“Yeah, yeah if I got arrested it should be for something big and extremely stupid. Because YOLO,” Athier crowed.

“Athier! We had a talk about this. Go put money in the swear jar, you know I hate that phrase,” Isa stated.

Athier rolled his eyes and grumbled but moved to obey, “I’m seventeen. I’m almost an adult, you can’t keep doing this.”

“Well when you get your adulthood toaster in the mail I’ll consider not making you put money in the swear jar,” Isa stated.

“There’s no adulthood toaster,” Athier said. A corner of his mouth went up involuntarily at the joke.

“Of course there is. When you become an adult the Powers-That-Be send you a toaster in the mail to signify your rite of passage,” Isa insisted.

Athier grumbled some more but deposited a few XinAn kuai into an opaque jar.

“You still have a swear jar,” Hailey asked smiling.

“I try to keep some things the same even as other things change. Hailey, I’m sorry about your mother,” Isa said.

Hailey shrugged and tried to act like she was over it, but she didn’t push Isa away when he hugged her.

“Well you were still married to her. So it’s not like I’m the only one being punished,” Hailey said.

“Yes. I miss her too,” Isa said quietly.

Maya who assuredly did not miss Chel was at least silent about the matter; as was Athier who slumped back onto the couch.

After a moment Hailey dared to ask the question, “and the others?”

Isa made a face, “Athier lives with me now and Riyadi does not.”

So Isa’s older brother Haider along with his wife and other three children were dead. Hailey didn’t ask how, it didn’t matter. But apparently his youngest son Athier had come to live with his paternal uncle Isa. Meanwhile Riyadi, Maya’s second youngest child was dead. Hailey suspected it was due to illness more than anything. He had always been a sickly boy.

“This… is not new news to us. Why don’t we discuss happier things? I know our bags have been brought up. Come see what we’ve brought,” Isa said opening his own case.

It was odd to think that a man who was here on Barrayar as a final attempt to help his people to escape genocide should be worried about bringing some girl presents. Even if she was his step-daughter, Hailey thought. He could have packed other things in there, things that would have been useful for him. But he made room for her.

 

Ivan told himself he was not jealous when he saw Kadeer walking out of the hotel with Hailey at his side. She was carrying several boxes as she made her way over to Ivan. He didn’t know what was in them, but he hoped she’d explained to Kadeer that Gregor wasn’t allowed to accept any presents from the delegation of elders until they were his proper vassals and then only in specific circumstances.

Isa said something to Hailey as he headed to the rental van and she climbed into the car with Ivan. Ivan had already explained to Kadeer that Ivan and Hailey had to pick up Lady Alys and Simon before heading over to the party so they would be late. Kadeer hadn’t argued at least, though he’d given Ivan an unsettling look.

“So did you guys catch up on your favorite vid shows,” Ivan asked as they drove along.

Hailey smiled in bemusement, “sort of.”

“So what’s in the boxes?”

Hailey shrugged, “just some presents that Isa and his family got me.”

So they had been trying to butter the kid up! Ivan bit his lip and decided not to say anything inflammatory. They probably realized she was just a kid and couldn’t sway Gregor’s decision. They were probably just being nice. But Ivan knew from years of personal experience that there were plenty of people willing to be nice to the camp stool if it meant the possibility of catching the emperor’s ear. Why not? Chel had been perfectly willing to use Hailey for that. Who was to say that Kadeer wasn’t? What kind of a guy would stay married to a harpy like Chel for several years if he didn’t have to be? There had to be something wrong with him, Ivan reasoned.

They stopped off at Lady Alys’s flat to switch cars so Christos drove Ivan, Hailey, Lady Alys and Simon to the Vorkosigan house. Before they left Hailey allowed the others to see her prizes.

“I didn’t know you liked dolls,” Ivan said picking up the human doll with orange hair and a black school uniform. He could get her a better doll than this one, he decided considering it. Not that it was a competition of course, which he assuredly did not do. No, that was Miles job to look at something and then try to make it bigger, louder and possibly more likely to go off and accidentally murder them all. Ivan was perfectly content to let things fall where they may, as long as they didn’t fall on him of course. Or Hailey. Or his mother. Or Simon, he supposed. Ivan told himself that a few more times even as he thought of toy stores in the area.

“That’s not a regular doll, it’s Shinji Negara from the vid show Hanzhou High School Host Club,” Hailey explained.

“Ah, well you don’t mind if I let the ImpSec boys scan these packages quickly, do you? They’ll be done by the time we get back,” Simon promised.

Ivan almost dropped the doll when he realized they hadn’t been scanned yet. Right, that maniac was still on the loose. Damn Miles, but what have you been doing that you havne’t caught the would-be mastermind behind this plot to mess with Simon? Right, planning a party for a foreign delegation, Ivan thought peevishly.

 

“Could you ask them not to be too overzealous? Maya made Shinji, so it would be hard to get him replaced,” Hailey noted.

“I will be sure to inform them,” Simon stated glancing over at Ivan. Aha! So you don't like this either do you Simon, Ivan deduced silently.

 

Ivan walked into Vorkosigan house to find Miles had already brought the twins down and shown them off to everyone.

“Will you remind Miles that if some of the guests aren’t drinking that it’s probably for religious reasons? No matter how good Vorkosigan wine is he is going to offend them if he tries to force it down there throats,” Hailey told Ivan.

“I’ll be sure to mention it,” Ivan promised, not that Miies would necessarily take his advice of course.

Hailey then took Shafiya off Maya’s hands and brought her up to the playroom where Nikki was showing Athier a flight simulation game.

“So is there a level where you have to crash the plane into something, Kamikaze style,” Athier asked.

Hailey buried her face in her hands, “they’re not training suicide pilots here. It’s a civilian game.”

“Hmm,” Athier murmured dubiously.

 

Lady Alys peeled off to go talk to some of the Uyghur women.

“Is there anything I should know about your friend Isa Kadeer,” Simon asked quietly.

Ivan shrugged, “you’ve read the same reports I have. It’s not like I’ve had any alone time with him, yet.”

Simon nodded and headed off on his own to hold up a wall. Old instincts die hard, Ivan decided.

“Hello Ivan,” Ekaterin said coming over to him.

“Lady Vorkosigan,” he smiled and bowed over her hand.

“I’m afraid you missed Miles trying to convince the whole group to fly down to Vorkosigan Surleau to go on a camping trip so he could show off the area. He was rather put out when one of them complained that he’d spent the past three years sleeping on rocks under the stars and much preferred a bed. Miles was rather put out,” Lady Vorkosigan said.

“Oh,” so Miles was probably already in a bad mood. Until he found some other brilliant idea to try to dazzle them with, Ivan interpreted.

“Thanks for the warning,” he told Ekaterin. She smiled and headed off to the kitchen, possibly for some last minute dining arrangements.

Ivan floated around, talked to some people and drank things. They were supposed to have a sit-down meal at some point but it was unclear when that would start.

They were still waiting for Minister What’s-His-name from the Interior. Ivan could remember the jowly face and the pugnacious nature of the fellow. He looked a little like a French bull-dog. So Ivan called him Frenchy. That had gone on for a while. To the point where Ivan could never remember his actual name. Was it Vorgurten? Vorfel?

It was a question he pondered as he used one of Vorkosigan house’s many fine bathrooms. They needed a lot since they had so many servants, Ivan decided. He blinked and wondered if he wasn’t a little bit drunk. He moved his head from side to side. Yeah, but only a little bit. Tipsy really. Wasn’t that odd, he didn’t usually have this problem at these events. At least, not by accident. But then he remembered between all that fuss over picking up and dropping off the Uyghurs, getting his things pressed and picking Hailey up again he hadn’t eaten lunch.

Ivan exited the bathroom and headed back to the party only to bump into Kadeer in the hallway.

“Are you looking for something,” Ivan asked the other man.

Isa smiled slightly, “just the bathroom, though I did stop to wonder about this place. For a planet so focused on security do all of the houses have listening devices in them? Or is it just this one?”

Ivan blinked, “Listening devices? In the residence maybe and on some of the commconsoles, but not in here. Why do you ask?”

Isa paused for a moment and seemed to be measuring Ivan.

“You know I was married to Hailey’s mother for several years. She used to talk about you sometimes. Chel didn’t always tell the truth. But then she didn’t always lie. So I’m left in a moral conundrum about what I’m supposed to do with you,” Isa said.

“Do with me? What Chel said? Well what did she say? I’ll clear that right up,” Ivan promised. But wasn’t he the father? Shouldn’t he be threatening this fellow and demanding explanations rather than the other way around? This seemed wrong somehow.

“She had a number of stories about you, that you were an adulterer, a pedophile, a rapist, a serial killer, a torturer. Some of these tales were rather fantastical… while others seemed probable,” Kadeer noted.

“Well how was I getting away with all of these crimes? Presumably they’d have had me arrested,” Ivan argued reasonably. Don’t you dare say it, Ivan thought. If he heard one more comment on his supposed impunity from punishment from his high rank he was going to... do something very inappropriate.

“Oh, I didn’t mean that you were all of these things at once. More that you were one or two. Class priviledge always played a role in your escapes. I admit that some of her reports ended with you at the end of a rope. I gather that is not the preferred method of execution here though,” Isa noted politely. The same way someone else might comment on Vorbarra Sultana’s weather pattern.

“You know this is a really weird conversation to be having at a party. Can’t you talk about something normal and boring like some opera you went to or your preference for tall pointy building over short stout ones,” Ivan asked.

“I apologize, I don’t regularly get invited to these sorts of events. Additionally, I thought you might appreciate some a straightforward discussion. If you’d prefer it you can continue to eye me with suspicion as I do the same to you though I think this is an inefficient use of our time,” Isa explained.

Ivan stood there flummoxed for a minute. Hell, put like that he supposed it makes sense, “Well I’m not any of those things that Chel said I was. Now you realize Hailey can’t give you access to whatever you want on Barrayar right? I mean she got your people the interview with Gregor but she can’t do anything more than that so don’t expect it.”

Ok, technically Ivan was an adulterer, but that had been more than a year back so it didn’t count right? And what Kadeer didn’t know probably wouldn’t blow up in Ivan’s face.

Kadeer’s eyes narrowed, “I had no intention of that.”

Kadeer’s further comments were stopped when a familiar face poked its head around the pillars.

“Ivan, so glad to see you. The party’s just started and your already sloshed, great,” By said coming over.

By paused when he was next to Kadeer and turned to the other man, “did you need something?”

Kadeer shook his head slightly, “still looking for the bathroom.”

“Oh, these big mansions are just a maze, it’s around the corner,” By instructed helpfully.

They waited until Kadeer left.

“What are you doing here By,” Ivan asked.

“Aside from stopping you from being harassed by your own houseguests? I was invited by baby Vorpatril, I suppose she thought you needed a friend. I just saw her upstairs playing with the other children. Do you think Hailey is not so subtly suggesting that she’d like some siblings,” Byerly asked.

“Shut up Byerly," Ivan growled. Just because the man had nice eyes and was willing to save Ivan from making an ass of himself did not mean he could tell Ivan how to raise his child.

“Well what are you doing here? A piece of advice, if you’re going to lie to someone make sure they just ask anyone around town for the truth,” By advised.

“What are you talking about,” Ivan demanded irritably. He already had a hunch.

“When you were lying to Kadeer about not being an adulterer. When he’s finds out that you have had the occasional dalliance with married women he’s going to wonder if those other allegations are true,” Byerly pointed out smugly.

“Yeah, well maybe I’m just a little tired of him being so damn perfect. I didn’t want him to think he was special or anything,” Ivan stated petulantly.

By raised an eyebrow at this, “are you really jealous of a man who probably lives in a cave? Because you could just move to your cousin’s district and do that too.”

“It’s not that. You know Kadeer was, is technically still married to Chel, right,” Ivan said.

An odd light hit By’s eye as he suddenly recognized the problem, “alright, so in a divorce or separation the mother’s side does get any girl children. But A) does Kadeer know that, B) is he that much of an ass that he would try to take Hailey away from you? I don’t see Lady Alys letting that happen though I suppose that leaves room for unhappy family feelings.”

Any further attempts on Ivan’s part to feel sorry for himself were interrupted by Miles.

“Ivan! What are you doing hiding out here? The wine is in there,” Miles indicated, his usual hyper/snarky self.

“Thanks Coz, I have years of high vor party experiences under my belt. I think I can find the wine without you,” Ivan responded.

Miles still stood there with a smirk. Miles knew Ivan was curious about the case but the captain hadn’t asked him about it yet.

Ivan looked around to make sure no guests were in hearing range, “so I haven’t heard any news of you catching the guy who masterminded the plot where Hailey was poisoned. Are you slowing down in your old age Coz?”

Miles smiled thinly at this comment, “actually I have managed to find someone who confessed to the crime.”

“What? When? How come I didn’t hear about this, I’ve been waiting for the shoe to drop this whole time and – what’s wrong,” Ivan asked.

“The man who confessed is a paranoid-schizophrenic, a result supposedly of his last assignment as part of an ImpSec extermination unit. I won’t bore you with those details. Suffice it to say that he had access to ImpSec and could have secured the confiscated poisons from the captured Komarran terrorists. Conveniently he is Penta proof so I can only ask him questions and half the time his answers don’t make sense. The other half he is raving about Simon Illyan having set him up for this or that. I don’t know how much is true or not and I’m uncertain I want to ask,” Miles said screwing up his face.

“So you have opportunity and motive on this fellow,” Byerly noted thoughtfully.

“But you don’t think he did it,” Ivan stated studying his cousin.

“I have trouble seeing him pick out the Vorparadjis boy as the courier and then sending Evgeny to groom him for the job. That would require too much forethought and planning,” Miles stated.

“I dunno, even mad people can be surprisingly coherent,” By said smiling at Miles.

“Behave Vorrutyer, or you can eat outside,” Miles threatened.

By pouted but said nothing more.

 

Lady Alys had been making the rounds all night and she was finally seated on a comfortable couch with Maya in the library. Lady Alys had carefully drifted the conversation towards Chel over the period of half an hour and the other woman had finally started to let her guard down.

“Our mother was a very strong, stubborn woman from a religious family who used to get in trouble with the central government all the time. She wasn’t easily cowed. Of course the husband her family picked out for her was a minority liason to the government so her continued protests of current public policy embarrassed him. They got into conflict frequently and this used to lead to violence in the house that went on until my mother packed us children up one night and we left. You can imagine that Isa was empathetic to Chel’s rapid departure from Kevin. I admit that she had some of the qualities of our mother. Not the empathy or the conscience mind you, but certainly the dedication,” Maya explained.

“I would think that over time your brother would have realized that she was no ordinary battered woman,” Lady Alys observed as delicately as possible.  
Maya smiled bitterly, “no. She was not. You know Hailey says that Chel felt better when the government was unstable because it made Chel feel needed? I think she was just addicted to the pain around her. Like an addict going through withdrawal she used to get so irritable at even the talk of making peace. Some of the elders think it was because she was so devoted but I don’t see it. As to why Isa stayed with her I could give you a few reasons though whether they’re accurate you’d have to ask him. You know men are visual creatures and she was beautiful. She was many other things but she was beautiful. There was the empathy for what she’d been through. After some months of marriage and the novely wore off I wonder if he didn’t stay with her because he didn’t trust her. That she would act rationally if he broke up with her. Then of course the simple act of divorce is still frowned upon so that would have been a difficult thing in itself. Hailey of course would have gone with her mother if they had divorced and we had grown rather attached to her and I didn’t want to see her regress again.”

“Yes,” Lady Alys agreed carefully, “I’ve tried talking to her about going to a psychiatrist for more professional help. But she seemed rather opposed to the idea.”  
“Did you know Chel was reporting on the war crimes trials on Xamandu? Naturally she thought it was acceptable to bring the girl to the court hearings where they discussed treatment of political prisoners. Not to horrify you with the details as I imagine that’s unsuitable for these functions but to suffice it to say one of their methods was to declare an enemy politician insane and have him locked up and lobotomized, among other tortures. I doubt you’ll ever get that girl inside a psychiatrists office,” Maya noted.  
Lady Alys silently cursed Chel’s name for what seemed the thousandth time.

“Hailey seems to be doing well now, despite it all,” Maya observed, then hesitated before going on, “in the beginning we weren’t at all sure she would be able to have any semblance of a normal life. She’s very resilient though.”

“Yes,” Lady Alys agreed.

“I hope you don’t take the food hoarding too personally. Isa always saw it as a personal failing on his part,” Maya continued.

“I beg your pardon,” Lady Alys asked in confusion.

Maya paused in her words and looked the other woman over.

“At least I had assumed Hailey’s food hoarding has continued. She was still doing it when she left XinAn. But perhaps… have you really not noticed it at all,” Maya asked in surprise.

Truly, Lady Alys had never checked. Why should she? There was plenty of food in both her flat and Ivan’s, she made certain of that. How had she missed this? It had been almost three and a half years that Hailey had lived with this family and only a few months with the Vorpatril’s. Odd to think that a foreign family would know a child better than her own family did, Lady Alys reflected feeling disquieted.

 

 

This idea lingered in Lady Alys mind for the rest of the evening. She mentioned it to Simon when they returned to her apartment that evening and compared notes on the nights events. Simon agreed to look over the room Hailey usually slept in when she stayed over at her grandmother’s flat. It didn’t take him long to find the moveable floor board in the closet.

“At least she has it sealed so it won’t attract ants,” Simon noted pulling out a triple sealed bag of dried vat-grown venison.

Lady Alys rubbed her head, “how did I miss this? We don’t starve her and we always have plenty of food. Why would she do this?”

“You remember what Countess Vorkosigan said about building trust,” Simon murmured.

Lady Alys sighed, “yes, I suppose. Well thank you for this help, Simon.”

Simon looked up into her face, seeing the worry lines on her face and the stress she carried in her neck. He replaced the board on Hailey’s hiding spot and stood up to kiss her, pulling her close to him. Knowing her anxiety about this he decided not to mention the little plastic card he had also found there. He would talk to Hailey about that first before he did anything else.


	12. Lizards and landmines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hailey and Simon discuss the uses of a fake ID and attend a party at the imperial residence

Almost a week later Hailey slid into the ground car next to Simon. Ivan and his mother were already at the reception being held at the residence. Talks between the Uyghur elders and Gregor had hit several snag points: why isn’t polyandry allowed? Why aren’t all citizens allowed to carry weapons? Will tax credits or financial aid be given to Uyghur refugees? Just how serious was the worm plague and what was the likelihood of its recurrence? At least anyone who had stormed out of the talks cursing and swearing had sheepishly returned later. Still, while Gregor seemed willing to be lenient with his own requests and demands his more conservative ministers were not. Presumably tonight was to give the ministers a chance to discuss things one on one with various Uyghurs. In reality it seemed a move designed to get the elders to shut the hell up and become vassals of the Barrayaran empire or to leave already and make room for others interested in becoming vassals. It was rather crude and Hailey wondered vaguely if someone would walk out permanently this time. If so, what would the others do?

“You know you shouldn’t worry so much. Gregor has handled more difficult negotiations than this one,” Simon stated looking her over.

She rested her head against the seat back and shut her eyes, “Ugh, I just want it to be over.”

“You’re getting yourself too worked up over every little possibility. At some point you have to trust that the others know what they’re doing and will act with some sense,” Simon instructed.

“Did that work for you when you worked for ImpSec?”

One corner of Simon’s mouth twitched up, “sometimes. Sometimes certain people had more initiative than sense. These individuals kept me up late at night worrying.”

“You mean besides Miles,” Hailey asked.

“Miles most of all, but there were others as well.”

A brief amiable silence settled in the groundcar. At least Hailey thought it was amiable until Simon spoke next.

“I’m afraid I got rather curious one day and found this in your room at your lady grandmother’s flat,” Simon noted absently. At least the tone sounded absent, likely it was just a show. Hailey sighed and looked at the little plastic card in Simon’s hand. She knew she should have gotten rid of it before.

“Were you dusting for prints in my room? Checking for bombs maybe?”

Simon shrugged but offered no further comment on his motives. She knew the card, it was a fake ID. It had been left with her food supplies there. She felt vaguely guilty about hiding food. She knew it was irrational that she did it. It was a compulsion. She didn’t feel right without knowing there was a supply there in easy reach for her. She knew the other kids in school didn’t need to carry snacks with them all the time. So she was weird. That was fine. She accepted it. But Ivan and his family would get all freaked out about every little thing that was unusual about her. Chel didn’t care when Hailey had hid food. Except that time the ants had gotten in. That had been a mess. Of course Chel hadn’t cared about a lot of things.

“Well what do you think I was going to use it for,” Hailey asked.

“It might be safer if you just told me,” Simon suggested politely.

You don’t need a fake ID to buy illegal street drugs, Simon. Nobody’s going to card me for that. So he must think it was for the legal stuff that she wasn’t old enough to buy on her own yet. It would be another year and few months before she could legally buy her own alcohol. Same went for cigarettes. It was illegal to sell marijuana here but paradoxically it was not a criminal offense to own or smoke it. Laws were more relaxed on Komarr where one could both purchase and smoke it. What else, what else? Caffeine of course was legal for everyone. None of these were what Hailey had been looking for when she got her fake ID from a classmate for a small fee.

She pulled up a picture on her wristcomm of the Brazilian rainbow boa and showed it to Simon whose eyebrows went up in silent question.

“Ivan and I went to the pet store one day because he seemed to think buying a goldfish after my mother’s death would make everything better. We passed by a terrarium where they had one of these boas and I asked Ivan if we could get that instead. The answer was no. Which is very unfair because I think Ivan might like snakes if he gave them a chance. But that’s just my opinion and no one cares since I need to be 18 to buy a pet at the pet store anyway. So one of the boys at school mentioned that he could get fake IDs and on the spur of them moment I got one. But I figured, where am I going to keep this snake if I bought it? I can’t just hide it under my bed because that wouldn’t be fair to the snake. Of course Ivan goes through my room too so he’d find it sooner or later and that would cause real problems. So I gave up on that plan for now.”

“For now,” Simon inquired.

My house, my rules, Kevin used to declare. He said a lot of other things, but that was possibly the most reasonable thing he’d ever said to her. It also stuck with her.

“I figure when I move out I can get a snake if I want to,” Hailey said.

Simon didn’t flinch, not the way Lady Alys might have. She always had to take everything so damn personally.

“When you move out? Are you counting down the days then,” Simon asked.

Implicit in that question was another one, are you angry with us? Or perhaps what have we done to drive you away?

“I mean that’s normal isn’t it? For children to move out when they’re adults? I’m not talking about running away to the other side of the galaxy. I just meant I wouldn’t be living in Ivan’s flat anymore,” Hailey said.

“Ah,” Simon said, allowing the tension to flow out of him.

She thought she heard him murmur something about sex, money and elephants but she couldn’t be sure.

 

 

They arrived at the residence to greet Gregor and his other ministers and to mingle with the group. Hailey wasn’t entirely sure why she had been allowed to come to this otherwise adult meeting. Was this because it was her pet project or was it something more? Rumors of course had spread at school that her family had such good connections they could get her anything she wanted. While other children settled for ponies and lightflyers, Hailey had asked for an entire group of people.

Even Athier wasn’t here tonight. He was probably back at the hotel watching Shafiya, Hailey thought jealously. She attempted to mimick Lady Alys in making rounds but gave up because she couldn’t deal with the amount of condescension she was getting from the elders and the Barrayaran ministers alike and both Isa and Maya seemed very busy.

At some point she left the mirror hall to visit the bathroom.

Between exiting the women’s restroom and returning to the mirror hall where the reception was taking place she bumped into Count Vorparadjis and Count Vorrecht gossiping in low tones and looking rather drunk.

“Ho there, little Vorpatril! What are you doing so far from the aegis of Aral Vorkosigan’s dog? I thought he was babysitting you still,” Vorrecht called out.

“Especially since you seem incapable of watching yourself. Though given Simon Illyan’s condition I can’t see him being much help,” Vorparadjis put in looking particularly surly. Ivan had mentioned something about him being a mean drunk.

Lady Alys had tried to explain to Hailey the appropriate responses of a lady to gossip. One solution was to politely correct any misconceptions, and they were all misconceptions because a lady was not allowed to assume that anyone was being deliberately malicious. Or at least she had to pretend she was incapable of assuming malicious intent from anyone. The other solution was to walk away as if she hadn’t heard anything so distasteful as whatever some buffoon in his cups had uttered.

Hailey initially planned to keep walking, there was no point in having a rational debate with men who had dipped too far into the wine. Except Vorrecht stepped into her path.

  
“Well don’t keep us in suspense, any news on your would be killer,” Vorrecht asked.

“Leave off, it wasn’t a professional job. It couldn’t be with my idiot grandnephew involved. It was just another little vor miss not being careful with what she did and when people found out they covered it up. Didn’t they,” Vorparadjis demanded.

“What are you on about,” Vorrecht asked.

“Come, come, little Vorpatril admit it. You took a fancy to Edmund and took him upstairs. But your family didn’t like that so they threw him to the dogs, the ImpSec dogs and you got away clean,” Count Vorparadjis accused.

“Sir, I think you must be very drunk or very stupid if you’re going to make these accusations,” Hailey declared.

“It’s true Anatoli, the walls have ears. It’s suggestions like that which will get you in trouble,” Vorrecht warned.

“Leave it alone. I know what I’m doing. It’s her grandmother’s lover Simon Illyan who doesn’t,” Vorparadjis insisted.

“I suppose,” Vorrecht thought a moment. Then he smiled at something, “though I would have expected Lady Alys to have more style than to choose a man who can’t remember what time of day it is as her lover. But perhaps she has special qualifications.”

“Funny, I heard the same thing about your new wife Count Vorrecht. I also saw her head outside with some other fellow, minister Gathmin not too long ago. You should be watchful of her, she is a pretty young thing and you are a wrinkly old man,” Hailey pointed out with false cheerfulness. Vorrecht’s expression went from smug to congealed in a heartbeat and Hailey causally pushed past them.

Her blood was boiling. Which was silly because she knew they were too drunk to care or faking it to get a rise out of her. In either case Hailey headed outside, perversely wondering if she could spot the new Countess Vorrecht and maybe rat her husband and his poor behavior out to her.

She paused beneath a walkway to hear two voices talking, one was her father’s and the other was MIles.

“Simon was telling me that he had several instances in his career in which the assassin had given up and vanished after his failed murder attempt. He suggested that sometimes mystery is just a part of life. But I just wish,” Miles complained in frustration.

“You wish what? That someone tries to murder one of my family members again so your curiosity is satisfied,” Ivan asked sarcastically.

“I could definitely nail the killer if he just took one more shot,” Miles insisted.

They faded off above her and Hailey didn’t care to follow this thought process.

Hailey pressed on wandering through the gardens below and wondering if she ought to be doing something more productive. But hobnobbing with the adults seemed silly, they didn’t take her seriously. Neither side did.

She eventually did come upon a beautiful dark haired woman who emerged from a gazebo with a man. The man exited quickly and didn’t make eye contact with Hailey as he walked past her back up to the party. But the woman paused right in front of her and the two looked each other over in the semi-darkness.

“You must be Hailey Mujica, Ivan Vorpatril’s daughter,” the woman said extending her hand.

Hailey hesitated a moment before shaking it, “you must be Countess Vorrecht. I just met your husband inside.”

“Oh? I hope he wasn’t being rude again. He’s so incorrigible when he’s drunk,” Countess Vorrecht declared pre-emptively.

“I see,” Hailey said regretting her wish to rat Count Vorrecht out to his wife. Really Hailey wanted to go home and go to bed at this point.

“You know you’ve got all the advantages on your side. You’re small, cute, young and a girl. You would certainly have an easier time with men if you feminized a bit,” Countess Vorrecht suggested.

“So I’ve been told,” Hailey said. From what she’d been told Count Vorrecht had met his latest wife on Beta Colony during a “business trip” to the Orb of Unearthly Delights. She was rumored to be Jacksonian but debate was still present about whether she’d been a House servant who was forced to flee after a coup or if she’d been landless the whole time.

  
Countess Vorrecht tilted her head to the side. Hailey couldn’t see the woman very well but she had the distinct feeling that the Countess could see right through her.

“Though I guess you wouldn’t need to play up your physical advantages considering your current family. I haven’t heard much about your father but I gather your grandparents are a formidable team,” Countess Vorrecht noted with a slight purr.

It was rumored that Countess Vorrecht married the Count for his money. But maybe what this one was after was the power that went with money, Hailey decided.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. They do alright I suppose. Really I think they just your average mild mannered elderly couple,” Hailey lied. What do you want, Countess?

“Really, because I’ve heard Simon Illyan can be quite ruthless,” the Countess whispered.

Hailey caught her breath.

Then the Countess burst into laughter, “Oh, I’m sorry dear I’m just being overdramatic. My family used to tell me that I told the best ghost stories when I was younger because of it. I’m sure those are just rumors about your grandfather. It looks like your friends are looking for you, I’d better get back to my husband.”

Hailey turned around to see Duv and Delia approaching her as the Countess hurried off, giving them a nod as she passed by them.

“What are you doing skulking around outside with Countess Vorrecht,” Delia asked as they final reached Hailey.

“Just trying to not die from boredom. Nobody told me these events would be full of curmudgeonly old people trying to see who could tell the most pointless story,” Hailey complained, still rattled from Countess Vorrecht.

“Mm, my suggestion would be to find safer ways to avoid that than hanging in the company of that particular countess,” Duv advised.

“But you said she was cleared of any terrorist connections,” Delia said in surprise.

“So far nothing interesting has turned up on Countess Vorrecht aside from her Jacksonian roots. But then there’s something odd about her. Particularly since Count Vorrecht added a clause to his will after marrying her so that if he should die a thorough autopsy would need to be done to rule out foul play,” Duv noted.

“Is it because she supposedly married Count Vorrecht for his money,” Delia asked.

Duv shook his head, “But he hasn’t got any, the man’s been leaking money from his district for ages and there’s some talk of an imperial audit landing on his head. Certainly the countess can’t be happy with marrying into that.”

Hailey noted, “it’s surprising the marriage lasted past the day she looked into his accounting ledgers then.”

“Hailey! That’s an awfully jaded way for you to talk. And may I point out that you are in trouble with my sisters and I. you haven’t come to visit my sisters these past two weeks. Martya is sulking,” Delia complained teasingly.

“Every time I come over them they always try to dress me up in weird outfits,” Hailey complained.

“They aren’t weird, they’re cultural,” Delia huffed.

“You could come visit our place,” Duv suggested.

“So you can assign her homework on Barrayaran history,” Delia teased.

“It’s not homework, it’s a reading exercise and I think she enjoys them, don’t you Hailey,” Duv asked.

“Is that the sound of the dinner bell,” Hailey asked.

Delia laughed and Duv looked only slightly put out as they walked back into the residence.


	13. Sub Rosa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the Imperial Botanical Gardens for a celebration leads to private and not so private discussions on relationships, politics and personal safety

“I’m just saying that a government should be afraid of its people not the other way around. Why can’t the average man own a gun,” Athier asked.

“Duv said it’s because it used to be a vor privilege to carry swords and the idea had carried over into other areas so that all weapons, unless used by military personnel belong to the vor,” Hailey explained.

“Well that’s ridiculous and insane and nobody should agree to that! It’s like everyone who isn’t vor is a second class citizen here. We might as well just stay on XinAn where at least government oversight isn’t good enough to take our weapons away from us,” Athier declared.

Hailey shrugged, “I don’t know about that. Supposedly public support of loal law enforcement is high. If people trust the police force here then it’s alright as far as they’re concerned for them to be gun carrying while others aren’t It’s a cultural thing.”

“So what? Some cultures eat their dead, that doesn’t make it right. Since when did you become such a staunch supporter of big government,” Athier demanded.

“Since I met the guy in charge. Gregor is pretty chill,” Hailey said.

“Are you kidding me, the guy seems like he has a stick shoved up his ass all the time. He’s too wrapped up in the rituals of his office to actually talk to anyone,” Athier declared.

“I don’t remember you two sitting down to talk,” Hailey said looking her step-cousin over.

“I heard it from elder Zaaira and I agree with her. Come on, I’ve seen the guy walk around. He has no idea of the kind of suffering we’ve been through and he isn’t really paying attention to our demands,” Athier said.

“Your demands? Are you a terrorist now,” Hailey said.

“Hey man, if the machine of government requires me to be unjust then I’d rather break the law. That’s all I’m saying.”

Hailey rolled her eyes, “you know you just bastardized a quote from a dead white guy right?”

Athier shrugged, “I do what I do. So when are we getting out of this house! Come on I want to see Vorbarra Sultana before we have to go. How about a tour of the seedy underbelly.”

Hailey snorted, “with Christos as a guide we’ll be lucky to see a movie that requires parental guidance.”

“Oh please, you used to be really good at wheedling Isa into letting us do stuff, you mean the door in the face technique doesn’t work with your da? Here let me try,” Athier said.  
Hailey and Athier were playing vid games in Ivan’s flat. Athier switched to English before addressing Ivan in the next room. 

“Lord Ivan sir, do you think we can go ghosting?”

“Oh my god, do not tell him about ghosting,” Hailey hissed in Mandarin.

“What’s ghosting,” Ivan asked coming into the room.

“We used to have run down cars that people would leave on the side of the road because it was cheaper than hauling them to an automechanic. So us kids would take them and fix em up just enough for ghosting; because you don’t need it to work well if you could get it on a hill. So you know you’d start the car, get it rolling and then climb out on the hood while it was going. Like car surfing,” Athier suggested.

Ivan blinked rapidly, possibly looking for an appropriate response to Athier’s explanation without swearing at the boy. 

“I – You know that’s a – We are absolutely not doing that here,” Ivan declared firmly.

“I think you’re being culturally insensitive and besides we’re pretty good at it,” Athier claimed.

“Athier I just killed you character,” Hailey pointed out. 

“What do you mean you were good at it? Who was letting you do this? Hailey were you doing this,” Ivan demanded firing his questions like nerve disruptor beams.

“Ivan, I think the important thing is that everyone is alright,” Hailey said.

“Aw you’re not going to get pissy about it are you? We could do something else, how about caving,” Athier suggested. He was still oblivious to Ivan’s deep hatred of small, dark places.

“Well I would think someone should have been watching you during this ghosting. Were you trying to hurt yourself,” Ivan asked stepping in front of the vid screen ostensibly to get his daughter’s attention.

“No, I just thought it was fun, alright? Come on, Athier only brought it up so you would say no and then he could ask to do something less dangerous and you would feel compelled to say yes. Let’s not make a big deal out of it,” Hailey said.

“Make a big deal out of it? Out of you trying to kill yourself? Hailey, what am I supposed to do? Laugh it off? Ignore it,” Ivan asked.

“I wasn’t trying to kill myself. If I was going to kill myself I would do it correctly because I have no desire to end up an invalid because I tried and failed to kill myself,” Hailey stated.

Athier whistled. “That’s commitment,” he joked.

Ivan did not think that was the least bit amusing. 

 

“It’s like I’m afraid to talk to Ivan about anything because I know he’s going to overeact,” Hailey complained to Laisa.

They were at another event in the Imperial Botanical Gardens. It was meant as a setting for a commemorative event celebrating the founding of Sergyar which was marked by the opening of the Delidelion, a flower which opened only once every twenty years. Many of the high vor were present to celebrate the event and to gossip. 

“I’m sure you have this same problem with your husband. How do you deal with it,” Hailey asked Laisa. 

The girl had managed to snatch a few minutes of relative alone time with the empress for just this conversation. They were walking through the flowers of South Continent section with only a few guards stationed around them.

Laisa offered a lopsided smile, “my family back on Komarr was wealthy and so I grew up taken care of. We had guards of our own and I went to a selective school. With these priviledges I was also trained to be careful with my words and my actions, that as a person from a high ranking amily I was carefully watched. But as a Komarran I was also being watched. Barrayarans are always questioning my loyalty to the Imperium; some more quietly than others and some with better intentions than others. Meanwhile my fellow Kommarrans are always questioning my loyalty to them. While most now longer wish for open rebellion with Barrayar and they have come to accept that our futures are intertwined this does not mean that we lack planetary pride. I imagine that it will be many more years before Komarrans consider themselves solely as Imperial subjects rather than as Komarrans who happen to be Barrayaran subjects. Do you understand?”

“You mean that Komarrans accept that they belong to the Imperium but they still believe themselves to be different than Barrayarans or Sergyarans who also belong to the Imperium. That the Komarran wears two faces as it were rather than the one face that a Barrayaran is allowed to wear,” Hailey interpreted.

Laisa nodded, “Yes, something like that. Now, I haven’t forgotten your initial question. From childhood onward I was made to understand that while I was gifted with a loving family with wealth and high social standing this comes at a price. There are always kidnappers interested in making money by ransoming a child from a wealthy family, there were suitors who lined up to woo my connections rather than me and of course backstabbers looking to twist my words if it benefited them. I don’t suggest that my life is harder than a starving orphan here or anywhere else in the nexus. My point is that there are different burdens of different weights placed on each and every one of us. When I married Gregor and became the empress I gained more social status and better connections than I had even through my company. But I gave up a great deal of privacy and I have to be even more careful in my choice of words and actions not only in front of my husband but in front of others. Yes, Gregor does fret over me. He used to be much worse about it early on, I think he was still afraid that I might change my mind and run away or ask for a divorce.”

“So how did you get it to stop,” Hailey asked.

Laisa shrugged and looked off in thought, “I sat him down one night and explained why he was being ridiculous. It was a forty-five minute presentation with multiple pie charts and bar graphs. He was very polite and sat through the whole thing despite his extremely long day. Then we had a question and answer session at the end.”

Huh, well that must have been a hell of a presentation, Hailey thought. Of course Laisa was the… CEO of Toscane enterprises? Of course she had to be persuasive. When Ivan and Hailey had gotten into their argument last night things had not gone so reasonably. He had been hurt, she had been angry and Athier had been extremely quiet. 

“Do you think that would work with Ivan,” Hailey asked. 

“Hm, tough to tell. Considering that the relationship dynamics between father and daughter is different than husband and wife there might be a better way to handle the situation. Let me think on it a bit.”

 

“Look I wasn’t trying to be racist, I just wanted to know if the curtains matched the drapes,” A very drunk Lord Yorick Vorjarven asked Maya, leering at her.

“Do you understand that you’re perpetuating a system which cripples your government on all fronts, economically, scientifically and politically? How dare you come up to me with such a question, as if I were an object made for your amusement,” Maya demanded.

Vorjarven scoffed, “It’s attitude like that which has your people in a bind. Here, women know their place.”

“You mean our attitude that women are people and not merely accoutrements present for a man’s pleasure? Funny, this attitude is shared by the Betans and last I was informed that outperform you on all fronts,” Maya scoffed.

Vorjarven looked ready to say something, but his eyes widened slightly, and he bowed spastically, “Sire.”

“Lord Vorjarven, you seem to be upsetting our galactic guests,” Gregor Vorbarra noted politely.

“I was just explaining how we Barrayarans see our women. It was a cultural exchange. Oh look, my wife erm, cousin needs me. Excuse me Sire,” Lord Vorjarven bowed out, almost toppling over in the process.

“Madame Mustafa, I hope your day has not been terribly disrupted by one loudmouth,” the emperor stated politely.

Maya turned then to look the emperor over before speaking, “do you know that some sociologists believe that the rise in women’s rights and social standing is linked to the creation of the gun.”

“I have not heard this theory,” Gregor admitted.

“You see women of the pre-atomic era were treated much as they are here on Barrayar during your Time of Isolation. This is because the primary weapons during this period were swords and bows and arrows, weapons which are best wielded by larger individuals. Considering that men tend to be bigger than women and do not suffer troubles of child-bearing they have a natural advantage with these weapons. A woman might be good with a bow, but were she be six or seven months pregnant or more she is quite helpless. Since men are able to defend and force others to obey their will through violence they naturally rose to power while women were treated as inferior beings. But with the invention of the gun, a weapon that does not rely on physical strength well there was a shift in power dynamics since even a pregnant woman can use a gun. This ability to forcefully defend herself and gain obedience through her weaponry then allowed women to gain a footing equal to men,” Maya explained.

“An interesting theory Madam Mustafa, but let me point out that there are many planets on which average citizens are not allowed to own weaponry. You mentioned Beta Colony before and I understand it to be something of a gold standard. Consider that the average citizen there isn’t allowed to own a weapon there either,” Gregor pointed out.

“But women are at least allowed to serve in the military there. Where do we see the military women here? If they exist then you must hide them well out of sight and out of mind. It gives people the belief that women need to be protected, like children. With this belief comes others which pile on. Soon women need to be protected not merely from violence but even the thought of violence, you stop protecting them and then you start impeding them in their work. On XinAn at least it is understood that women hold up half the sky. Here it is as if men do all the work and women are here only to admire them,” Maya commented.

“But there are other considerations on XinAn which led you to consider even moving here in the first place,” Gregor patiently pointed out.

“With all due respect to you and yours I would rather my children and I died on XinAn then become slaves to your system. I do not approve of the messages here which depict women as merely housewives or mothers while men are meant to do so much more. But I would do this for my sons as well as my daughters. I see your culture and the underlying assumption that when a male tries to take advantage of a women it is often brushed off as a male being incapable of controlling his desires. My children will not be taught to be slaves to their bodies either. I bid you good day sir,” Maya stated firmly. She offered Gregor a slight bow before turning and leaving.

Gregor considered these comments as he considered all comments made to him. 

 

Simon walked through the gardens with Miles. Miles, being allergic to many of the plants wore a nose filter to remove the allergens from the oxygen which he inhaled. Roic traveled at a polite distance behind them with an epi-pen in hand should his little lord need it.

“I was surprised to see you separated so easily from your wife,” Simon noted looking down at Miles.

“Well you know how she gets around gardens. She’s very focused,” Miles explained.

Simon smiled and assumed that Lady Vorkosigan had grown tired of her husband jostling her elbow as she admired the gardens and had expertly paired Miles off with Simon as a way to keep him busy. 

“How do you feel about your campaign on two fronts,” Simon asked.

“Mm I think I’ve got a number of the Uygher elders convinced of the intelligence in becoming Barrayaran citizens. Some of them are harder than others. As for the attempted murderer, I’m hoping to have that solved soon,” Miles said.

Simon thought he heard Miles mutter, “possibly by the end of the day.” But didn't wish to ask Vorkosigan to repeat it.

 

It was a fast thing. The sound of the lone plasma rifle going off did not gain everyone’s immediate attention. Rather it was the sudden explosion of chatter across the ImpSec wristlinks which warned the agents to take their high-powered guests to ground.


	14. Hidden agendas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events after the attack on Simon

When the shot had fired Roic instinctively tackled both Simon and Miles to the ground. Knocking the wind out of them but preventing a more serious injury. The hole in the ground from which smoke came up was from a plasma beam that had been aimed at Simon’s head. Miles rose triumphantly as shots from a distance could be heard. He had known, just known that this fellow who had tried to kill Hailey would strike again. Cries went up over the wristlinks of ImpSec agents throughout the gardens and in the city. Moments later several agents were able to take the shooter to the ground without killing him. Now Miles thought he could get some answers he thought gleefully.

 

At some silent signal, for Hailey and Laisa had not heard the shot, a nearby ImpSec agent politely came over and asked them to go down into the basement of a designated building nearby where they might be safe. They followed him down the stairs and through a corridor towards a little safe room. But before they entered Ivan came running up, he stopped short and gavea small bow to the empress before addressing the both of them.

“Miles did it, the brilliant little git. He managed to create a trap to trap the killer. There’s no need to hide, we can go back up,” Ivan said.

“Sir, I strongly suggest we go to ground regardless,” the ImpSec agent declared.

Ivan brushed it off, “I know, I know protocol, but just call up for some new instructions from your boss. I’m sure after this event Gregor will be anxious to see his wife. You know how he gets with these things, No sense of humor.”

Two more ImpSec agents appeared from behind Ivan.

Ivan frowned, “you know that mustache is against regulations. It prevents the airtight seal if you need to put on a breath mask.”

Instead of talking one of the ImpSec agents pulled a stunner from his belt. Despite his desk job Ivan was faster.

“Run,” he called to the two women as he shot first one fake ImpSec agent and then dropped to one knee and caught the other. 

“Ivan,” Hailey called.

“Do it damn it! Go tell Gregor and the others that there’s an even bigger problem,” Ivan ordered.

More men, not in ImpSec outfits were appearing from the little safe room that Hailey and Laisa had almost been escorted into. They had stunners of their own.

Laisa pulled Hailey along, out the way they’d come and over the two downed fake ImpSec agents. They made it up to the surface before a stray shot caught Laisa. She fell and Hailey paused only momentarily. Hailey knew she couldn’t carry the larger woman. She wished she’d stopped to scoop up one of the stunners that the fake ImpSec agents had dropped. She was stupid, god she was stupid Hailey thought as she ran through the indoor arboreum, the infant trees providing a bit of cover from stray shots.

She ran the length of the arboretum, headed for the exit on the opposite side which would put her closer to the others. Hailey was looking over her shoulder, trying to gauge how easily the fellow chasing her could shoot her from his vantage point. She tripped on something, a hose maybe and fell sprawling. Only to pick herself up again and dodge behind the nearest tree as a beam shattered a nearby tree. Pieces flew everywhere. The fake impsec agent slowed his pace as he grew closer to her.

“Come here baby, I won’t hurt you. Getting stunned is just like taking a nap,” he crooned. 

Hailey was trying to decide how she could fight off a very large, probably well trained kidnapper when the door to the arbortoreum opened.

“Agent, what the hell are you doing discharging you weapon just now,” another agent called from the door. 

“There’s another attacker who went for the empress in here. I tried to get him,” the fake agent said.

The real agent’s eyes widened and he went to report it on his wristlink.

The fake agent took this time to raise his weapon and take aim. But before he could fire, Hailey slammed into him, knocking his aim off enough that he narrowly missed the agent who pulled his own stunner out and shot the fake agent.

Hailey raised her hands up, “don’t shoot me! You have to tell Gregor that there are fake ImpSec agents here. They’ve kidnapped the empress and my father Lord Ivan Vorpatril!”  
The agent’s eyes widened and he reported this information over his wristlink. Hailey didn’t know how long it took as a group of agents appeared. It felt like seconds. It felt like an eternity. She didn’t know, she was in a panic. She led the team down the stairs towards the little safe room that hadn’t been so safe. They found the still unconscious fake ImpSec agents sprawled out. In the room they made the discovery of finding two dead men. They were confirmed to be ImpSec agents who had their clothes stolen. So only one of them men dressed in ImpSec gear had been a real agent, had used to be a real agent, Hailey corrected herself. They didn’t find Laisa or Ivan though. 

 

Hailey was seated in a med-tent with a tech looking her over. Not that there was anything wrong with her. She was completely fine, physically. Lady Alys was with her as Simon had gone off to be properly briefed about the situation.

“It’s a good sign that those fake agents brought stunners rather than nerve disruptors or plasma arcs. It suggests that they plan on keeping them alive as hostages,” Lady Alys noted pragmatically. She looked off into the distance as if remembering a past event. It did not look to be a happy one.

 

Miles found Simon standing outside, looking at the immaculate gardens around him. 

“You know they can’t find Isa Kadeer either,” Miles informed the older man tentatively.

“You think him involved,” Simon said.

Miles shrugged, “Yes. Whether he’s a hostage or hostage taker, I don’t know yet.”

Just like Chel, was the thought that floated unspoken in the air.

Simon shook his head, “If that bastard – I would ask you not to mention such a thing to Hailey unless it’s confirmed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There used to be an ending to this work but I'm changing it since I didn't find it satisfactory.


	15. Chapter 15

Gregor had gone white at the news of his wife’s kidnapping. 

“I don’t want anyone else to die because of me,” he said quietly, his fist tightening.

“You know these guys are on ImpSec home turf, I’m sure we’ll get Laisa back,” Miles said. He did not add, hopefully in one piece, out loud.

Simon stood back, prepared to help but not offering any comments. 

It was amidst this scene that Byerly stumbled into the room with General Allegre at his side, half propping him up. He looked like someone had taken a shock-stick to him repeatedly.

“Sire I – I suppose you already know your wife was the target of a kidnapping. I was looking into the background of Countess Vorrecht when I suppose I dug a little too deeply and her goons caught up to me. It turns out Count Vorrecht had a good reason for being wary of her. She’s a Jacksonian who specializes in kidnapping and assassinations. It seems they did meet on Beta Colony, but it wasn’t the whirlwind romance they made it out to be. Count Vorrecht wasn’t on Beta for the fun of it, he had meant to go there to meet her specifically. I’m still not sure how they got into contact with each other,” By admitted. He wavered a bit.

“Sit down,” Illyan said offering him a chair.

By didn’t refuse it and slumped down.

“Do you have any idea where they might have taken the empress,” Miles demanded.

By smiled grimly and pulled a flimsy from his pocket, “the countess and her henchmen left me alive just so I could pass this note on to you. Due to my allergy to fast penta they could not figure out everything I knew. She was trying to make it seem that she was alone in this hostile take over and that her husband wasn’t involved. Other sources suggest otherwise. Needless to say I don’t believe her.”

Gregor accepted the flimsy and looked at it, Miles tried to read it as well over his shoulder.

“Just a damn comm-number,” Gregor shook his head and headed out of the room.

“Where are you going,” Miles asked.

“To call it and get Laisa back,” Gregor responded. 

He sounded angry, which was strange passing to downright alarming for Gregor who was so good at bottling up his emotions. Miles followed after in alarm as did Allegre. 

 

Ivan awoke with a throbbing headache in a darkened room, turned on his side and proceeded to vomit. He heard someone else retching and turned to see Laisa with her head over the toilet, also being ill. A man was standing behind her, holding her hair back. It took a minute for Ivan to recognize Kadeer in the dim lighting. 

“Thank you,” Laisa said, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Ivan vaguely thought he should offer her a handkerchief but he found he didn’t have one. 

Kadeer nodded and went back to slump against the bunk along the far wall. Laisa attempted to tame her hair which had become loose and wild during their kidnapping.

“Are you alright Lord Vorpatril,” she asked with a shake to her voice. Damned stunner was having effects on her still, Ivan decided watching her. 

“No worse than after a night of drinking,” Ivan said with a smile he pasted on for her benefit. 

“Wonderful,” Isa muttered. 

“And what are you doing here, Kadeer,” Ivan asked. He was of course a complete gentleman about it and did not mention how disappointed he was that Kadeer hadn’t saved them already after all the stories Ivan had been hearing about the man.

“I saw you two being loaded into a count’s car and thought it odd. When I went to investigate I was caught in a fire fight with your captors. May I point out that your toy stunners are no match for real weapons,” Isa stated with disdain.

“Were you hurt,” Laisa asked in worry.

“It’s quite painful to move around,” Kadeer admitted. But he gave Ivan a particular expression in which he looked around the room and then raised his eyebrows. Ivan figured that Kadeer was telling him that the room might be bugged. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were listening to our conversation, Ivan thought. 

“So you gave up when one of the men shot you? Why didn’t you go for help instead,” Ivan asked. Is he another Miles perhaps, looking to be a one man army?

“I’m afraid I was outmaneuvered by Countess Vorrecht,” Kadeer admitted, sounding pained.

“Really the trollop got you,” Ivan asked incredulously, then glanced at Laisa, “excuse the language milady.”

Laisa shook her head but didn't comment.

“She is not some trollop Lord Vorpatril, she is a trained assassin,” Kadeer said firmly.

Ivan snorted, “whatever lets you sleep at night.”

Kadeer was about to say something else when Laisa interrupted, “Lord Vorpatril, I would think we should be trying to find a way out of this room rather than bickering amongst ourselves.”

With that she got shakily to her feet and walked around their little room which featured a toilet with no privacy, two bunk beds and some floor space. Everything seemed bolted to the floor, they had no weapons in here. 

“Perhaps the air vents,” she suggested uncertainly.

“They are rather small, empress,” Kadeer observed politely. 

“And high up,” Ivan noted, he didn’t much like this tiny dark little room. I am not going to have a panic attack in front of these two, he silently promised himself.  
Laisa frowned.

“I think we may have to wait until your husband rescues us,” Kadeer said.

“Which would likely be a lot sooner if you had gone for help,” Ivan pointed out.

“And told them what? That some guards had carried you off? To where, I wouldn’t know. For what purpose, I wouldn’t know. I would have been unable to tell him anything, you idiot,” Kadeer sneered.

Ivan was about to come back with a really good insult when Laisa interrupted.

“Gentlemen, please! Shouldn’t we be concentrating on working as a group? I would like you both to be civil with each other. Why don’t we talk about something neutral, like-like Hailey. You know she’s such a good artist. Did you send her for lessons when she was younger Isa,” Laisa asked. 

“No. nothing formal per se. But I used to let her paint one of her bedroom walls. Then we would agree when she was done and we would paint it over in white again so she could start over,” Kadeer explained.

“I’ll bet Chel loved that. Speaking of which, how did you stay married to that woman all that time? I’m sure your charming domestic picture isn’t quite accurate,” Ivan observed. He couldn’t help it. He knew how Chel had been with Hailey in front of him. He couldn’t imagine that she’d been any nicer to her daughter in front of this guy. Just what did you let that woman do to my daughter, Ivan asked quietly.

Kadeer was quiet for a moment before he began, “I’m sure you know that before I took my current post among the Uyghur nation I was a nurse. A few years ago while I still lived that life I had a terminal patient. Not someone’s grandmother or great-grandmother as you might expect. She was young, barely a teenager. There was nothing I could do for her to treat her, which is not to say that there weren’t treatments available, only that her family had neither the income, the societal standing or the correct ethnicity to get it. So only palliative care was possible; we were just going to give her drugs to ease the passing. Now this young woman had one wish, she wanted to go home so I had to teach her mother how to administer the injections. Foolishly I gave her a container of water and told her to practice the injection on me. I didn’t realize the water was de-ionized. I won’t bore you with the details of it, but suffice it to say cells lyse under those kinds of conditions, but the nurse in the room with me pointed out that if I passed out in front of this woman she would never take her daughter home.”

“So what did you do,” Laisa asked.

“Oh, I managed to stumble out and into a different examination room before collapsing on the floor,” Isa admitted with a sigh.

Ivan blinked at this. So Isa Kadeer the invincible, by his own admission, was not so perfect after all. 

“That sounds painful,” Ivan admitted, not quite commiserating with the other man.

“Extremely. But my point is that in some cases palliative care is all I can offer. Hailey, I thought, well truthfully I wondered for a time if she’d end up a serial killer but she’s developed beyond my expectations. I do not dare to claim that was my doing. But Chel? I knew even before we married that there wasn’t much I could do to fix her, to treat her. I’m not that good. But she was… she was like a broken bird, fragile and lost in many ways and in that I thought I ought to help her. Yet she was brilliant and she held auditory skills I only dream of. I’m not saying she was weak; I respected her. But I also knew her and what she was and wasn’t capable of. I loved her in my own fashion and she in hers. No I don’t claim that it was all domestic bliss, I don’t claim that she was the best mother. But what would have happened if you’d raised Hailey? We don’t know because you weren’t around,” Kadeer pointed out.

“But I would have been if someone had told me,” Ivan shouted. 

He hadn’t meant to shout, to get this emotional. Who cared what this off-worlder thought, hell he wasn’t even Hailey’s real father. Ivan was Hailey’s father. That was his job dammit. But Ivan had seen them when Hailey had shown Isa her painted room. He’d watched Kadeer go over the room, pointing and murmuring things to the girl like it was their own private joke. Ivan was sure Hailey talked to him about things she wouldn’t mention to her own father. Kadeer and his family knew about her food hoarding habits when Ivan hadn’t noticed. Three years and then some was certainly a long time for them to get acquainted, compared to Ivan having only known Hailey for a paltry few months. It left Ivan feeling thoroughly inadequate. 

Kadeer only raised an eyebrow and whispered, “struck a nerve did I?”

Laisa looked shocked and turned to fix Kadeer with a stern look, “I asked that we keep it civil.” 

“Apologies, empress,” Kadeer murmured. 

Just then the door to their little chamber opened and Ivan scrambled out of the way as four men entered.

They weren’t wearing officers uniforms at least. Gregor was going to have a fit when he found out that people had impersonated ImSec officers. Hell, who was he kidding, Gregor was probably having a fit right now because these bastards had kidnapped his wife. 

“You, the Komarran whore, on your feet. We have a need for you,” the largest man, presumably the leader, said. He sneered the words, like they gave him a special, warm feeling.  
Laisa’s eyes widened. Ivan attempted to pull himself to his feet in defense of the empress and was unceremoniously shoved back down by a brute who pulled out a shock stick.  
“Don’t tempt me to use this,” the brute said with a cruel smile. 

“Well this is very interesting and all, but am I going to get a cigarette? I was badly burned by your crazy bitch and would quite appreciate one,” Kadeer droned nonchalantly. Ivan noticed that his eyes danced oddly in the near darkness. He wondered if the thugs saw this as well.

One of the thugs spit in Kadeer’s direction, “you want to ask that question a little louder, off-worlder?”

“I have a hideous burn and know that you won’t be giving me medical treatment for it. I would at least appreciate the courtesy of a smoke,” Kadeer insisted.

“I’ll give you a smoke,” one of the other thugs said pulling out his own shockstick and moving towards Kadeer. 

It was a fast motion, but Ivan saw Kadeer manage to jump the thug and take the shockstick in time to catch another thug in the face with it. Ivan leapt up and tackled his own man to the ground, slamming the thug’s head unto the concrete floor. Ivan looked up in time to see the leader draw his plasma arc, but knew he was not fast enough to jump the man or get away. A yellow blast hit the leader square in the chest, dropping the man to the ground and Ivan looked over at Laisa, clutching a stunner. She must have pulled it from one of the fallen men, Ivan decided. Kadeer had knocked out two, Laisa had shot one and Ivan had gotten one. 

“I knew those lessons with Drou would pay off,” Laisa said shakily. She looked proud, exhilarated and terrified.

Kadeer gave Ivan a look and then meaningfully glanced down at one of the thug’s belts. The man had an empty holster and one containing a plasma arc. Laisa had made a conscious effort to pull out the slower stunner rather than the deadlier, faster plasma arc. Ivan didn’t blame her, she wasn’t military trained. Perhaps she knew she couldn’t fire a deadly weapon. Still, he frowned, it would put them at a disadvantage in a fire fight. 

Kadeer picked up one of the plasma arcs from a fallen man, he glanced at Ivan, “did you want to finish them up or should I?”

Ivan’s brain hiccupped on that idea, “I beg your pardon? I hope you are not suggesting that we kill unconscious men”

Laisa’s eyebrows went up at that.

Kadeer made a pained face, “come now Vorpatril, it would be extremely stupid to leave enemies alive at our backs.”

“We can heavy stun them so they don’t wake for hours,” Ivan pointed out.

“You think that won't draw attention,” Kadeer asked.

“You think shooting them with a plasma arc won’t,” Ivan asked.

Kadeer frowned, “I could use a knife I suppose.”

“We are not killing them,” Laisa said firmly.

Kadeer sighed, “I understand that Vorpatril's venerable uncle is against slaughtering prisoners. As am I, but may I point out to you that we are the prisoners in this scenario and don't have the luxury of being the better man."

Ivan paused at that, thinking how Hailey tended to use that phrase. Did she learn that from you, Kadeer, he wondered. Well you're something of a hypocrite then aren't you, Ivan thought with some smugness. Ivan took a stunner from the ground and shot the three men who had just been knocked out. No need to shoot the fourth that Laisa had already got.

“Problem solved, let’s go,” Ivan said picking up a proper plasma arc and taking Laisa’s hand.

Kadeer shook his head and muttered something before grabbing one of the men and unceremoniously undressing him.

If he pulls off that fellow’s underwear I am going to – I don’t know what I’ll do, Ivan thought watching Kadeer and fearing the worst. Kadeer looked up at Ivan.

“You know they came in to pick up the empress, if we want to get around here it might be a good idea to borrow their uniforms and escort her around as if she were our prisoner,” Kadeer suggested.

Ivan relaxed, holstered his weapon and undressed the man closest to his own build. 

Several minutes later they were walking cautiously down the corridor with the empress between them. Everyone was armed to the teeth, and completely lost.

“Do you know where we are going,” Kadeer asked as they walked down the windowless corridor. 

“I don’t know where we are, how am I supposed to know where we’re going,” Ivan demanded.

“Sh,” Laisa said.

The lights in the building were dim in general, though not as dim as their makeshift cell had been. The wall were painted a beige color with pictures hung here and there. But the floor was concrete. It was a strange look, as if the builders had started putting together a hotel and had changed their minds halfway through. 

 

Gregor had been pulled back and away from his would be assassin and several of the guards had fallen on the downed assassin. Color was returning to Gregor’s face, Miles noted. It would have been reassuring if it wasn’t green. Miles considered his imperial cousin and decided that of all the worst case scenarios, the possibility of mad emperor Gregor was still a minuscule one. He reacted now just as he had when he’d jumped that fellow back on Jackson’s whole all those years ago. No, Miles decided, Gregor does not turn to violence out of pleasure, he hates it. 

“Sire, you do realize you're supposed to get out of the way of the assassin and let the guards deal with it, eh,” Miles said.

Gregor blinked and looked down at Miles before nodding slightly, “sorry, I seem to have temporarily forgotten my composure it seems. I should be focused on finding Laisa and Ivan, not on this.”

Miles glanced at the assassin who was on his feet now, awake but concussed based on his pupils. 

“You think he’s penta proof,” Gregor asked.

“Only one way to find out,” Miles said.

They marched the assassin into a room and sat him down, safely tied him down and then put a patch on him. Miles was surprised and delighted to see that no rash showed up. They hyposprayed the man and an interrogator on hand began the questioning. The problem, Miles decided was that unlike in a police investigation, they knew nothing about this assassin so they could not be completely sure when the drug started working.

“Vrlomi, Vorrecht's fake countess, ordered this attack not the count, that old wind bag,” the assassin admitted in a heavily accented voice.

“At least you know they couldn’t find a Barrayaran to assassinate the emperor,” Miles murmured to Gregor.

Gregor’s face remained deathly neutral.

“Vrlomi thought the count was being stupid and she wanted to be able to spend her hard earned money when she finished this job. No use in offing that Komarran woman and then leaving all this to blow up in our faces. Vrlomi has seen the way the emperor looks at the Komarran and figured the count was delusional when he thought that all would be forgiven after the fact,” the man murmured, eyes glazed over. 

“What would be forgiven after the fact,” Gregor asked.

The interrogator did not dare frown at his imperial master though it was considered bad form to have two interrogators during a fast-penta interrogation. It confused the prisoner. 

The assassin’s gaze slide to Gregor, “the old man wanted to save you from the “Komarran whore” he was ranting about it when-“

The man paused and seemed to become agitated, chattering his teeth.

“He’s got a cyanide capsule,” Miles shouted. 

Two guards tried to stop him, but the assassin was already foaming at the mouth when they grabbed him. 

Miles swore, Gregor swore, everyone else was painfully silent.

Byerly had been granted a little room in the medtech’s tent and they had given him some really good pain meds. The lighting was off in here and he lay on an exam bed, not so comfortable for sleeping but he was perfectly willing to try.

“Byerly,” came a girl’s voice.

He opened his eyes to see a young girl with dark black hair and pale white skin turn the dimmer on. How nice that she hadn’t just gone for the brighteners, he thought fuzzily. By looked the girl over, when had his little sister cut her hair like that? Byerly vaguely remembered an incident when he was thirteen and his sister was seven. He’d just started in the scouts and she had wanted to join too so she cut her hair just like his. Their conservative father had become upset, boys are supposed to act like boys and girls are supposed to act like girls, he’d ranted. 

“Byerly, I heard what happened to you so I asked one of the ImpSec guards to go bring us some food. I didn’t realize I could do that, but he left and came back. You don’t look very good so I have soup if you don’t want to chew much but there’s other stuff too,” the girl chattered on. 

By blinked, his brain clicked into place and he realized his sister couldn’t be this young anymore. She was married with children now. She’d wanted to be a lion tamer when she was little, now she was a stay at home mother. By wondered vaguely if she was happy with the trade off. Not that they spoke enough for him to know anything about her anymore. God, I’m not going to cry in front of the pipsqueak, he told himself as he sat up gingerly. It was just the damn drugs, he told himself. 

“If you’d really like me to feel better you should go commandeer a bottle or two of wine. See if your lord uncle will give you some of the good Vorkosigan stuff,” By suggested, rubbing his head.

Hailey frowned at By, “you know alcohol affects the pituitary secretion of anti-diuretic hormone don’t you? I think you must already be dehydrated from your… ordeal last night, you don’t want to make it worse. So I brought you some water too.”

“Last I checked I was the adult in this room, not you,” By observed but allowed her to hand him a disposable bowl of soup. 

“Well someone has to look after you,” Hailey observed. She paused and thought, “you know if you do marry Ivan then Lady Alys could mother you. Ivan is saying that she’s always looking for a hobby.”

By shuddered, he did not need that kind of mothering. He took a few mouthfuls of the stuff and realized how hungry he was.

“Where is your lady grandmother anyway? Shouldn’t she be mothering you,” Byerly asked.

“Gregor wanted to get the Uyghurs and other guests out of here so Lady Alys is handling that along with Ekaterin. I asked to stay behind in case there was any new information. I was surprised that she acquiesced, but Simon is here too. So I supposed she thought I would be relatively safe,” Hailey explained. 

“So, do they have anymore leads,” By asked carefully.

Hailey shrugged, “well a Jacksonian assassin tried to get around the detectors in the building by bringing a knife in to stab one guard then steal a plasma arc to shoot Gregor. Apparently the assassin stabbed the guard and then Gregor beat the shit out of him. Wait, can I say that about my emperor?”

By shrugged, “sure why not. But where was Gregor’s guard, certainly he wasn’t wandering around alone right now.”

“I’m afraid I didn’t get to actually see the emperor do this, but from what Simon told me his guard was present. He just managed to react faster in this case. I mean I know Ivan is always referring to the vor as a military caste but I didn’t realize it until now,” Hailey admitted.

 

Count Vorrecht stood outside the empty cell where the empress had been, “well where the hell could she have gone. You, I paid good money for you to catch her! How did you lose her!”

Count Vorrecht turned on Vrlomi, his supposed wife.

The woman shrugged, “I did catch her. Besides, these were not my men you sent in to retrieve her for your little vid. If you had, we would not have lost them in the first place. They can’t have gotten far though, the exits are secured.”

“If I fail I will take you down with me,” Count Vorrecht threatened.

Vrlomi snorted, “even if you succeed how do you think we will survive?”

“Emperor Gregor will see the light once the harpy has been unmasked for what she is! Even if it’s not immediate… there are ways to guarantee our safety by trading them back Lord Vorpatril.”

“One man’s life will cause the emperor to forgive the death of his wife,” Vrlomi asked.

Vrlomi had not originally realized the exceptional stupidity of this plan until she had played the part of the Count’s wife for a few days. Perhaps, as the Count ranted and raved, the Komarran empress was in fact a snake, wrapping herself around the emperor until he choked to death. Perhaps she was secretly part of a Komarran terrorist ring, their final weapon in fact. But Vrlomi now suspected that these claims were the rambling boasts of an old bigot, intent on keeping the status quo. Komarr had been conquered after all, in retaliation for letting the Cetagandans through to attack Barrayar, he had said. Now a Komarran woman wanted to be treated better than any noble Vor woman, how dare she, the Count had raved. Vrlomi had listened thinking all the while that she and her team should have turned this job down. It was too late now though, once she started a job she had to finish it. That was how she’d gained her reputation and now she needed to keep it. She wanted to be able to live after this. She wasn’t sure the Count did though, he’d already emptied out his district’s funds to pay for her, her weapons and the others to come over. He didn’t really have anywhere to go after this unless a miracle happened and the emperor forgave everything. Perhaps he intended to die a martyr or at least, he would die thinking of himself as a martyr… one quick beam to the head and the Count wouldn’t be her problem anymore. She thought about that as he blustered on.


End file.
